Respect – The Bottom Line

You may not know this but I have an outdoorsy side to me.  Ok, maybe “outdoorsy” is a stretch, as you won’t see me scaling mountains.  However, I am the adventurous time with a passion for learning new things.  After my divorce in 2005, I  vowed to not let my fears overtake my curiosity.  I learned to shoot.

Guns are like sex.  There are misnomer,  interpretations and so many small misconceptions that weave there way into the common psyche thanks to the loudest minorities, on both sides.   Recently, a friend of mine took me to a shooting range.  I was a bit rusty to say the least but I found myself getting lost in the concentration and focus it requires.  I was told my groupings were excellent, the consistency was a great start but that I just needed to adjust my sights.  I was encouraged and left feel empowered. I respected the power of the .380 I was using and it in turn, gave me the same respect back.

Respect is what matters.  It is ultimately what keeps men from turning into animals.  I use the example of a gun because it is a weapon.  However, if you show it the  proper and diligent care with technique and safe use, that weapon is longer a thing to fear.

I look at the world around me and I notice that respect is a forgotten behavior.  As we grow in opportunity and advance technologically, the basic tenets of Maslov’s hierarchy have run askew.  Respect is the chord that makes or breaks us.  Respecting something doesn’t mean you have to love it or always agree but you should try to understand it.  It is only when we understand something that we can make rational choices.  This basic understanding that opens us up to what we realize we all need and crave but sometimes seemingly feel is in short supply.

Quote of the Day:  “Respect other people’s feelings. It might mean nothing to you, but it could mean everything to them.” – Roy T. Bennett

Neurally  yours,

Aretha, “R-E-S-P-E-C-T”