Care and Respect

Just recently we have come to realize how much care and respect go together. There is an old song with a line that goes something like this, "Love and marriage, love and marriage...go together like a horse and carriage." Our revelation is that care and respect are also that closely related. It's very hard to respect someone that you feel does not care about you. By the same token, it is difficult to care about someone when you feel that they do not respect you. No one wants to care about something that they do not respect. And there is no respect for something if one does not care about it first.

In our world today there is plenty of evidence revealing a lack of respect and care. When driving through most cities you will find walls covered with graffiti. Road rage is a new phenomenon that reveals no care or respect. Our nation's divorce rate indicates an alarming lack of respect and care that usually spills over effecting our children. We could go on and on with examples. Instead we choose to think about how to stop that vicious cycle.

We can choose to care when not respected. We might choose to respect when no one cares. It's a very simple answer really. But not easy. Maybe we could pick up that piece of litter instead of walking on by. Or, perhaps we could slow down and let someone go ahead, instead of hurrying on our way. We could choose to be kind and forgive when we are wronged. We might return good for evil when we have the chance, instead of looking after our "rights." What a wonderful world this would be!