R is for R.E.S.P.E.CT – the song embodies what it is all about.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T - Find out what it means to me
That is how I define respect. It does means admiration based in a persons’ abilities but on a day to day it is about having due regard for boundaries. Every relationship has some invisible boundaries and respect for me is knowing them and not crossing them.
When I was young, I was brash. I have always been a straight shooter and in hindsight, it bordered on brashness. As I have grown older, I have not lost my straight talking but I have lost my brashness. My biggest lesson over the years is that no one will respect you if you don’t respect yourself first and vice versa. It always starts with you!
I have also learnt that I cannot change anyone but myself. So when the boundaries for respect are crossed, I reset them for me and other people. Usually that means a reset of my relationship with that person, and that is okay. I always let the other person know. 😀
I have seen people mixing politeness with respect, especially in the subcontinent. You will find that most people are polite with one another but respect for one another runs low. I have seen so many people who are so polite on the face but then really character bashing behind their backs. Politeness and respect are equally important but one does not equate with the other.
We have to teach our kids to learn to respect and be respected while still remaining civil and polite. That is a fine balance but if we practice, we can definitely achieve the same.