Respect for ourselves and others.

"Men are respectable only as they respect." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

There are those in this world who treat others with such disrespect-on a regular basis- it amazes me.  Whether it is the person who serves you your coffee in the morning or the person who signs your paycheck, everyone out there deserves to be respected for who they are, what they do and simply for being. 

Human beings are amazing creatures who have time and again adapted to their surroundings striving to make a better world/life for future generations.  When we treat each other with anything less then common decency and respect we do a great disservice not only to ourselves but to the world around us.

I am not a perfect person in any sense of the word, but I do try every day to make sure that I am considerate and respectful to others.  I falter, I screw up, I blow up, but I always try.

There are so many people out there today who don't try.  Who can't see past their own nose and forget that there are others in the world who rely on them and who THEY rely on, and yet, at every turn, they disrespect those very people because they don't know any better.

And I'm sorry but the excuse that "they don't know any better" doesn't wash either.  EVERYONE knows better.  I realize that respect is not necessarily something that is inherent - and is at times "earned"- but I believe that we all have it.  That common decency and respect aren't just words just to be thrown around by some who claim to have lofty ideals, and who in practice fall so very very short.

Saying what you mean and meaning what you say are just words unless you respect others and HAVE the respect of others.  Without the respect, they are, just completely empty meaningless words.

That's all.