R.E.S.P.E.C.T

HELLO TO ALL,



FIND OUT WHAT IT MEANS TO ME....



MY COUSIN'S SON WROTE A BLOG THIS PAST WEEK ABOUT GROWING UP AND ABOUT RESPECT. I WROTE A COMMENT ABOUT NOT CARING ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE THOUGHT OF ME BECAUSE OF WHAT I WORE. I AM NOT A FASHION MAVEN, NEVER HAVE BEEN, I LEAVE THAT RESPONSIBILTY TO MY WIFE. WHO BY THE WAY IS VERY GOOD AT IT.



I GREW UP BELIEVING THAT YOU HAD TO EARN THE RESPECT OF OTHERS. IN THE SEVENTIES, I HAD LONG HAIR AND PARTIED WITH THE BEST OF THEM, BUT I SHOWED UP TO WORK AND ON TIME AND DID MY JOB TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES EVERYDAY. THE JOB I HAVE IS A VERY DIRTY JOB. AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN I STOP TO GET A CUP OF COFFEE TO DRINK ON THE RIDE HOME, I'M PRETTY DIRTY. IF I OFFEND THE PEOPLE AROUND ME I'M SORRY, BUT IF THEY DECIDE I'M SOME KIND OF BUM BECAUSE OF THE WAY I LOOK, TOUGH SHIT. IT DOESN'T STOP ME FROM HOLDING THE DOOR FOR THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME, OR SAYING THANK YOU TO THE PERSON BEHIND THE COUNTER.



IF THE PEOPLE I'VE OFFENDED BECAUSE OF MY APPERANCE TOOK A FEW MINUTES TO TALK TO ME AND ASK ME A FEW QUESTIONS, THEN THEY ARE STILL OFFENDED, FINE, BUT TO MAKE THE ASSUMPTION THAT I'M A BUM, OR NOT WORTHY OF THEIR RESPECT, IS BULLSHIT IN MY OPINION. IT DOESN'T MAKE ME NOT RESPECT THEM, BUT THEY HAVEN'T EARNED IT EITHER.



I'VE NEVER WORN A T-SHIRT TO MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT THIS OR THAT, IF I HAVE A STATEMENT TO MAKE, I'LL USUSALLY SAY IT LOUD AND CLEAR. I SAW A HIGH SCHOOL KID OUT ON A DATE WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND, AND THE T-SHIRT HE HAD ON SAID "THE ONLY JOB I NEED IS A BLOWJOB!". THAT KID SHOWS UP AT MY HOUSE TO DATE MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER AND ONE OF US IS GOING TO THE HOSPITAL. RESPECT BE DAMNED!



I BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE WHAT YOU ARE. NOT WHAT YOU WEAR, NOT WHAT YOUR POLITICAL LEANINGS ARE, NOT WHAT RELIGION YOU ARE. I HAVE FRIENDS THAT ARE BLACK, MEXICAN, WHITE, CATHOLICS, BAPTISTS, DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, AND ON AND ON. I'VE COME TO RESPECT PEOPLE I KNOW WELL, SOME I DON'T KNOW WELL, AND SOME I DON'T KNOW PERSONALLY AT ALL.



I DON'T FEEL THAT I OWE SOMEONE RESPECT, BUT WHAT I DO OWE THEM IS AN OPPORTUNITY, TO LET THEM EARN MY RESPECT. IF THAT SOUNDS LIKE I'M SOMETHING SPECIAL IT IS NOT INTENDED TO. I HAVE TO EARN THEIRS, NO MATTER WHAT I LOOK LIKE, THE SAME RULES APPLY TO ME.

IT FEELS LIKE THE RULES ARE CHANGING. MAYBE I'M OLD SCHOOL, MAYBE I'M NOT KEEPING UP WITH THE TIMES. THIS DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT I FEEL EARNING RESPECT IS PART OF BECOMING AN ADULT.

I'VE SPENT A LIFETIME TRYING TO BECOME AN ADULT. IN THE END, THE PEOPLE I LEAVE BEHIND WILL JUDGE WHETHER I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS OR NOT. I WILL KEEP TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THIS IN THE TIME I HAVE LEFT HERE.

PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS PERSONALY. IT IS SIMPLY MY OPINION. IF I HAD SPENT THIS LIFETIME TRYING TO GAIN RESPECT BY LOOKING GOOD AND DOING NOTHING I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN TRUE TO MYSELF. IN THE END, THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE.


WELL, THAT'S MY RANDOM THOUGHT FOR THIS WEEK.



TALK TO YOU SOON,

TVI