Learning Respect
Learning Respect If you had known me twenty years ago, “respectful” probably would not have been the first word you used to describe me. I was emotional, stubborn, defensive, and honestly pretty self-centered at times. I interrupted, complained, rolled my eyes, and always felt the need to prove my point. I thought being loud meant being strong. I thought fighting for the last word meant winning. Maturity changed some of that naturally. Life has a way of sanding down your rough edges. As I grew older, I started realizing that respect is not weakness. It is strength under control. It is choosing peace over pride. It is understanding that not every disagreement has to become a battle. But maturity is only part of the reason I became respectful. A huge part of it came from my husband’s guidance over the years. He did not simply expect respect from me without teaching me what it meant. Sometimes that guidance came through long talks and lectures that honestly stayed with me for years ...