I know this probably isn't the popular opinion. However, I wanted to share my thoughts about respect and see what others thought about these terms in return. People refer to respect as something that encompasses all walks of life. Perhaps it does, but in my mind that means we are neglecting common human decency and focusing the emphasis on something more.
Human Decency
In my mind we were put on this earth to learn how to be kind. Kindness is not something that comes naturally. Biologically, we are self-preserving. It's not in our nature to look out for others and when we do it's considered unconventional. This is how we can pass by people living on the street without batting an eye. I might not be the most warm-and-fuzzy person, but if I can make someone's life slightly less miserable I will take the opportunity where I can.
We are faced with the opportunity everyday to be kind. This means accepting others that are different from us and acknowledging their contributions as human beings. This means seeing ourselves as equals, the same bones and the same flesh. At the end of the day we return to dust. Where will your pride be then?
Respect
When I started my job, I was the youngest person at the company. People doubted my abilities and questioned whether I would be able to pull my own weight. Over the years I had to earn their trust and represent myself as someone that can be depended on as a hard worker and team player. I look at the way it was back then and the way it is now, and I recognize that respect as something that I've earned, just like my coworkers have earned it with me through our efforts in working as a team.
If I tell someone that I respect them, it is because I admire something within them that I don't see in many others. Maybe I don't see it in myself. It's is a recognition of their uniqueness and my feelings towards them. In my work, it's respect for what someone contributes to the team and their values as an individual. In my personal life, it's respect for their qualities and what makes them beautiful as a person. That's not something that is handed out automatically. It regards the slow unveiling of who they are as we build a trusting relationship.
It begins with human decency. As we continue to lower the bar of what we expect of our behavior and ourselves, we have reconfigured the definition. As humans, we can do better.
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