Respect. One seemingly simple word that is far more complex than we were taught about on Sesame Street. Ever since we were young we’ve been taught to respect our elders. This is apparently done by saying Mr. and Mrs. before their last name unless they have an overriding title such as Dr. or Pastor.
There is more to respect than that. To some extent, respect is earned in the sense that is a great form of admiration. In other regards, respect should be given out of pure decency to another person, a human being like yourself. It is so unbelievably important to respect the thoughts, feelings, and boundaries of others. You owe a certain amount of respect to others.
What is often overlooked is the concept of respecting yourself. Of course, you may have heard about that when learning how to dress modestly or have proper standards. Still, it goes further. Respecting yourself is necessary to maintain healthy relationships, be it with friends, significant others, parents, siblings, teachers, or whomever. It is vital to respect our own thoughts and feelings, instead of always dismissing them. You deserve to respect yourself and be respected by others.
Lyrics from Make a Plan to Love Me by Bright Eyes.
