What is respect in your mind? What does it mean? How do you show respect? Is respect “earned” as we are told?
To me, respect is universal. It also goes hand-in-hand with appreciation. Meaning everything – whether we consider it living or non-living, animate or inanimate – deserve respect and appreciation. Because in truth, and ultimately, there is nothing in this world that is not alive; NOT A THING.
Without respect and appreciation no life form could survive. The sun would not shine, if it was not appreciated and would not be properly utilized if not respected. The rain would not fall if it was not welcomed. Without respect and appreciation the galaxies and the entire universe would not hold together. No society could exist without respect and appreciation. No affiliation, no lasting relationships. Respect and appreciation are fundamental to existence. They recognize that everything in the universe is necessarily valuable to the whole: matter, energy, people, animals, plants, etc… All that exists, exists in relations to everything else. Everything is tangled and intermingled. All elements affect one another.
Respect is given, not earned. Respect is never taken away. No matter what or how you feel about something or someone, they are being them and it is/they are only being what it/they can be. You cannot take the respect and appreciation away from that.
You cannot disrespect a scorpion for stinging you. You cannot disrespect a mosquito for biting you. You cannot disrespect a weed for growing where it has. Everything does and lives as they know how.
We, human and otherwise, are all connected and must treat everyone and everything we come in contact with, with respect and appreciation. Without these two simple concepts or elements, not even a blade of grass would grow. A flower would be ignored by the insects and butterflies, and would not get pollinated. A child would not develop into a healthy adult, if the parents did not respect and appreciate him/her. A family would not hold together without respect and appreciation between its members. Without respect and appreciation a bird would never learn to fly. Respect and appreciation for the laws of nature. Respect and appreciation for all beings.
When we do not respect/appreciate someone/something, we treat him/her/it as an object to be used, rather than a being. When we do not respect/appreciate the earth, we treat it as an object to be ill-used. This is how we become consumers. The members of consumer society are primarily interested in instant enjoyment of material needs and desires. They have no foresight. They are action oriented, and barely think before they act. This kind of mentality can only go so far, before a society reaches the end of the road.
Now, naturally, some people/things are more important to us than others. We value them more. We appreciate their presence in our lives. This does not suggest that the lives of others are of less value. A near sighted person once declared: “I love milk, but I hate cows!” If one wants to drink milk, one must respect and appreciate the cow. The other said: “I like the green grass, but I don't like the rain!” Without respect and appreciation for the rain, the grass would not remain healthy and green. When we respect someone or something, we take good care of them. Whatever we do not respect and cherish, dies out or leaves our lives. That is a cosmic law.
So how do you respect inanimate objects? You use them in a proper manner and without abuse. How do you respect your plants at home? By caring for them, providing them with the nutrition, light and water that they need. How do you respect your pets? By understanding that we have taken them out of their natural elements and placed them indoors for our companionship and enjoyment. In this we have taken their natural choices away from them.
I had a talk with a friend of mine who thought I was/am crazy for the way I treat my dog. I had my dog out for her daily walk and asked the dog, “Bella, which way do you want to go?” My dog then chose a path and I followed. Only if I knew there might be a danger on a path for her or myself I would stop her from going there. Otherwise I would follow her for the duration of the walk to where she wanted to go and stop long enough for whatever she wanted to sniff.
My friend asked me, “Are you taking the dog for a walk, or is she taking you for a walk?” This of course is a common question that many people ask without thinking. Your dog/pet is indoors with you, all day long, not having the opportunity she/he would have if she was in nature. Naturally dogs get their news and satisfy their curiosity by sniffing and marking. You, as a human, can never guess what smell is interesting to them and what area needs to be marked. Only they know where is appropriate – so to speak. You only know how to be a human. They only know how to be a dog/pet. So in this, in appreciation of what species they are and what their needs are and what in return we get from them – the companionship, the unconditional love and the joy – we need to respect their needs and wants.
What makes us want to control even what is supposed to be their time? We get a dog and immediately we want to control. Our ego is hurt and we are offended and ashamed if the dog while walking barks at another dog. “Bad boy”, we say. Why? Barking is a way of communicating. How do you know what the other dog said or smelled like? Why is yours a bad boy for saying something? We tend to want to control everything and every behaviour. What we cannot even control within us, we need to control for others.
Let’s start appreciating everyone and everything for what and who they are and give them unconditional love and respect. Start by appreciating, loving and respecting yourself today!
In Love & Light;
EL