This pandemic has afforded many of us the time to reflect on life and I hope that we can come out of it better for it. However, if you are a connoisseur of news and media, you are seeing a picture of a society that points the finger at others to assign blame. News and media is not a good place to look for values that are consistent with how we should deal with one another. This leads me to what I want to tell my kids.
Please treat everyone with dignity and respect. It doesn’t matter if you see eye to eye on any particular issue; treat everyone with dignity and respect. Treating others with dignity and respect does not mean that you must cow tow to others ideas and beliefs, but it does mean that you can have a discussion, or debate, about disagreements without resorting to lies, name calling, or assigning blame to the other.
On 2 April I wrote about being a strong individual and knowing who you are. You do not have to sacrifice your Self or Identity to be respectful to others. It is possible to disagree on matters and still respect each other. Knowing who you are as an individual and understanding your convictions makes it easier to respect others and not feel threatened by their ideas and beliefs.
I am afraid that we, as a society, have become to soft and easily offended. As a child, I remember my Mom and Grandmother quoting this phrase, “sticks and stones my break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” This statement is true for people who know who they are and what they believe. Words will not hurt you if you stand on a solid foundation of strong principles, ideas, and beliefs. You will also not feel it necessary to attack or belittle others when you have a solid foundation.
So, discover who you are, understand your beliefs and convictions, and treat others with dignity and respect. Take It Easy!