When I think of respect I think of the values my parents instilled in me as a child.   Our elders were addressed as Mr. or Mrs. and often in our responses we used Sir or Madam as a sign of respect.  We were taught to respect our parents and people of authority like our teachers and members of law enforcement. 

Respect is something we showed and it cost us nothing.  It did raise us up in the opinion of the people that we associated with in our lives.  We showed respect to our peers and likewise we expected it in return.

There is someone however that is extremely important to respect and often forgotten and that is our self.  We tend to work too much, too hard and not give our body a chance to rest.  We indulge in foods that are not good for us and our body suffers.  Some abuse alcohol and drugs and eventually it will take its toll on these bodies.

We are hard on ourselves in how we judge our actions and rethink often everything we have said and done being a harsher critic that anyone else would dare to be.

It is as important today to show respect, as it was when I was a child and for that matter today as an adult.  If you want respect you need to show it to others.  Most importantly of all do not forget to show that respect to yourself anything less devalues you as a human being.

                                  Cheryl C. Helynck 

                                           2009