CONLEE RICKETTS-Author, Educator, Awkward Human Being!
  • Home
    • More About Me
  • Blogging!
  • Contact & Follow Me
  • Media/Events
  • Fun Stuff!

R is for Respect by Conlee Ricketts #atozchallenge

4/21/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
is for Respect

One of the three definitions of respect in the Concise Oxford English Dictionary is “due regard for the feelings or rights of others.” This is the respect I am offering today.

The primary definition (if they are written in a hierarchy) typically focuses on an admiration based a person’s qualities or achievements, but this is not where I place my attention today because I think I might neglect many people and things if I waited for them to impress me with a particular quality or achievement.

In fact I prefer to extend respect to others regardless of whether or not I agree with them, like them, or even know anything about them.  The feelings and rights of others…a person’s right to maintain an opinion contradictory to my own…I respect that.  I respect a person willing to disagree with me politely.  I don’t like confrontation; I enjoy civil discourse; I love a good debate; what I don’t love is another person’s refusal to let me speak my piece.  I will, however, respect the fact that they have different feelings, opinions, behaviors, or social protocol than I and then will then remove myself from the unpleasant interaction.

Because I respect you never means I need to continue to interact with you if I am no longer enjoying the interaction.  Disagreeing with you doesn’t imply a lack of respect.  Any behavior toward you that is mean, hurtful, malicious, or spiteful would demonstrate a lack of respect for your existence, and this is the kind of behavior I avoid because it literally causes me physical pain to witness these types of interactions. 

Lately I’ve had many interactions that feel either confrontational to me or that feel as if I have been completely disregarded as being present in the room or conversation.  I’m not a big fan of these feelings, but I realize they have something to teach me about how I interact with others.  I will work on paying deep attention to others in order to feel less ignored, and I will work on listening intently to others in order to help myself feel heard. 

I firmly believe “you get what you give” so I offer up my respect for the day to all the people, places, plants, and animals that I encounter.  You deserve it.



0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Picture

    Author
    Conlee Ricketts

    I write to steady myself, discover myself, and forgive myself.  Writing reaches into those places that need love and attention in my inner world in order to balance my outer world.  I hope you enjoy. 

    Picture
    CLICK THE PIC to check out my articles with MLTS
    Picture

    Archives

    November 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    August 2019
    May 2018
    March 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    Categories

    All
    Acceptance
    Adolescents
    Amazon Reviews
    A To Z Blogging Challenge
    Being Kind
    Breathing To Relax
    Coffee
    Conflict Resolution
    Courageous Parenting
    Disney
    Divorce
    Ego
    Empathy
    Faith
    Fear
    Finding Answers
    Finding Joy
    Generosity
    Generosity Of Spirit
    Grief
    Humor
    Imagination
    Journey To Self
    Kindness
    Learning To Love
    Lock Down Drills
    Lonliness
    Love
    Loving Kindness
    Meditate
    Meditation
    Middle School
    Mothers And Daughters
    Mother's Day
    New Authors
    New Teachers
    Parenting
    Poetry
    Practicing Peace
    Respect
    Seeking Help
    Self Discovery
    Single Mom
    Single Parent
    Sitting Meditation
    Teaching
    Trust
    Trusting Yourself

2020 Conlee Ricketts All Rights Reserved
                              email me: conlee@conleericketts.com
Photos used under Creative Commons from joiseyshowaa, Sunshine Lady !, SenseiAlan, Hamed Saber
  • Home
    • More About Me
  • Blogging!
  • Contact & Follow Me
  • Media/Events
  • Fun Stuff!