R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me…
“You should respect each other and refrain from disputes; you should not, like water and oil, repel each other, but should, like milk and water, mingle together.” -Buddha
In a discussion with a friend the other day, she shared the mantras of her organization. One of their guiding principles is “respect”. According to the dictionary, “respect” means taking seriously and having esteem for the experiences, knowledge, and skills of others. We have respect for ourselves, our friends, family, co-workers, others that we interact with, and various people in the public eye. My friend went on to describe “respectful listening”. “Respectful listening” means to respect what people say – even when they don’t agree with you. If you show respect for them and for their opinions, they will see this and will listen to you and respect what you have to say.
As I listened, my thoughts jumped quickly to my family. I’ve been known to say “my family never listens to me”. With this definition of “respectful listening”, I began to question myself. Have I truly been showing respect for what my family members say? My honest answer: maybe not. Maybe I should try harder to listen to them and to truly appreciate their words and their opinions. And when I disagree, maybe I should hold my tongue longer – until I’m sure I’ve allowed them to fully share their thoughts with me. Maybe I should try harder with my mother to let her talk – and really listen and take an interest in what she is saying. Maybe if I do this, she’ll listen to me.
Family and friends are precious commodities that we need to nurture and care for. They are the most important people in our lives. We have a tendency to take them for granted – and sometimes don’t realize how important they are until they are gone. I need to remember that I’m fortunate that I still have my mom – and that I need to make sure I let her know how much I appreciate her – and how important she is to me.
Action Item: Show at least one friend or family member how important they are to you. Let them know how much you appreciate and value their opinions, their help and their support.
Sue Stenberg - LA Branch of the TOD.
“You should respect each other and refrain from disputes; you should not, like water and oil, repel each other, but should, like milk and water, mingle together.” -Buddha
In a discussion with a friend the other day, she shared the mantras of her organization. One of their guiding principles is “respect”. According to the dictionary, “respect” means taking seriously and having esteem for the experiences, knowledge, and skills of others. We have respect for ourselves, our friends, family, co-workers, others that we interact with, and various people in the public eye. My friend went on to describe “respectful listening”. “Respectful listening” means to respect what people say – even when they don’t agree with you. If you show respect for them and for their opinions, they will see this and will listen to you and respect what you have to say.
As I listened, my thoughts jumped quickly to my family. I’ve been known to say “my family never listens to me”. With this definition of “respectful listening”, I began to question myself. Have I truly been showing respect for what my family members say? My honest answer: maybe not. Maybe I should try harder to listen to them and to truly appreciate their words and their opinions. And when I disagree, maybe I should hold my tongue longer – until I’m sure I’ve allowed them to fully share their thoughts with me. Maybe I should try harder with my mother to let her talk – and really listen and take an interest in what she is saying. Maybe if I do this, she’ll listen to me.
Family and friends are precious commodities that we need to nurture and care for. They are the most important people in our lives. We have a tendency to take them for granted – and sometimes don’t realize how important they are until they are gone. I need to remember that I’m fortunate that I still have my mom – and that I need to make sure I let her know how much I appreciate her – and how important she is to me.
Action Item: Show at least one friend or family member how important they are to you. Let them know how much you appreciate and value their opinions, their help and their support.
Sue Stenberg - LA Branch of the TOD.
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