My Dear Friend:

I have been accused of many things in my lifetime, but recently was taken aback when I was accused of Disrespecting you.

And though you may think I have forgotten and brushed the incident away, this has caused me to think long and hard about what the term “Respect” actually means – to ME.

I try to Respect the world that I live in… My Country, in particular, and the laws that govern me.

I may not always agree with my Local, State, and National Government & Laws, but I try to do what the law says and with that, I feel I Respect the Law.

Same thing with Religion… I have Mine and You have Yours.

My Religion really has no proper name, but for what it’s worth – I believe in Something and Someone Higher than myself – I Respect MY God.

You may not agree with my Religion and I may not agree with your Religion, But if THAT’s your thing – Have at it.

That’s all the Respect I have for Religion.

 

While my Parents were alive, I had great Respect for both of them.

And now that they have passed away, I probably hold them in an even Higher Regard.

Yes, I STILL Respect my Parents.

 

I Respect my property and yours.

I take care of my stuff and when you ask me to look after your stuff, I take care of it, too.

I treat it like my own.

 

I feel I return the same amount of Politeness and Cordiality to most individuals as they assert to me.

I try to treat others the way I feel they should treat me.

I try to treat myself the way I want to be treated.

I give Respect.

 

I Take Gap, I Give Gap.

I give a Smile for a Smile.

I relay an Attitude for an Attitude.

What I get, I return.

 

In My Opinion, THAT is “Respect”.

 

But now I think about what “Respect” may mean to you.

… And for this, I’ve pulled out my trusty dictionary and found the following definition:

re·spect

 [ri-spekt]

noun

1.

a particular, detail, or point (usually preceded by in  ): to differ in some respect.

2.

relation or reference: inquiries with respect to a route.

3.

esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or ability: I have great respect for her judgment.

4.

deference to a right, privilege, privileged position, or someone or something considered to have certain rights or privileges; proper acceptance or courtesy; acknowledgment: respect for a suspect’s right to counsel; to show respect for the flag; respect for the elderly.

5.

the condition of being esteemed or honored: to be held in respect.

6.

respects, a formal expression or gesture of greeting, esteem, or friendship: Give my respects to your parents.

7.

favor or partiality.

 

Have I really been Disrespectful to YOU – My Accusor?

Ok, maybe you believe that I don’t see the high worth and excellence in you.

Or that I don’t hold you in a such a High Degree of Esteem or Honor.

But have you earned THAT?

At one time, I saw you as a Tough and Tumble Individual – possibly even a bit stronger than myself.

But the chink in your armor was revealed.

I saw it and I realized that we are equals.

Is my personal re-evaluation of You  – and of myself {for that matter} – really what you should deem as Disrespect?

I think not.

If asked if I have ever been disrespected, I can only think of a few instances in my life that I feel I have come close or may fit.

Like: The few times that I have been Stood-up for a Date  or Appointment and have not received an apology or an explanation,

Or Like: Having Someone {particularly a Man/Love Interest} try to “Door-Mat” me or “Wear” me like an Old Sock,

Or, Like: When I’ve loaned someone some money or an item and the money or item was never returned, acknowledged, or worse – Returned in an Altered State.

Or, Like: When I was 10 years old at Girl Scout Camp and one of the other campers called me a few Not-So-Nice names and then threw dirt on me.

Other than that, I can’t think of much that is really worth dwelling over.

 

So now, I just Googled this sentence: “What are examples of Disrespect?”

And this is what I got:

“A few examples of disrespect are: Talking about someone behind their back, Mocking or Teasing someone, Stereotyping someone, Making fun of someone, or Pressuring someone into doing something they don’t want to do.”

 

Is This Really What You Mean?!?

THAT stuff happens to ALL of us.

Every Day.  Day In and Day Out

If THAT is what hurts you, I’m sorry.

I truly, truly am.

But I think we all may need to lighten up a bit.

Shake it off and keep moving.

Maybe you shouldn’t allow yourself to ponder so much on Others’ respect for you.

Think about it.

Instead, maybe you should concentrate on the Respect you have for Yourself.

It’s Rough out here.

If I have learned nothing else in my short life time, It’s THIS:

Self Respect is one of the most important personal attributes anyone can have.

Remember that.

Take Care, My Friend.

I’ll see you around.

Respectfully Yours,

~ ReginaTheGodMother

~~~~~~~~~

“Respect Yourself” is the name of a classic soul song by American R&B/gospel group The Staple Singers. Released in late 1971 from their album Be Altitude: Respect Yourself, the song became a crossover hit. The Staple Singers’ version peaked at #1 on KHJ, #12 on the Hot 100, #2 on the Hot Soul Singles chart, and is one of the group’s most recognizable hits. Bruce Willis’ version peaked at #5 on the Hot 100. In 2002 the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and in 2004 it was ranked #462 on the Rolling Stone list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.^[1]