syajo

Respect (Tuesday, July 7, 2009 / 1:16 AM)

Respect.

It was, and always have been one of the most powerful word in my dictionary. Without knowing why, the 'R' word would always affect my life one way or the other. I've been raised in a family that treasures respect to your elder, respect for those who has that certain life experience that we youngsters have to wait a lifetime to achieve and respect for one another. I've been raised with a good family background, alhamdulillah, that could guide me in many ways than one.

Other than guidance in strong faith to Allah, I was taught that in whatever you do, every action you make should be sought through thoroughly as it would affect your family's good name. And with that in mind, in whatever step you make, you'll always have your family behind your back. I was taught that getting respect from others is hard, but to maintain that respect is something much, much harder.

The respect I have towards other people is something very valuable. For some, to gain respect, you have to have this sense of exemplary conduct that others would look up to, yet for others, respect is very easily received. For example, the respect I have for the elders in my family. Kissing their hand was never just something we've been occasionally reminded to do, it was an act of love and respect. Thus, for me, respect is synonymous to loving.

I respect my father for his kind heart. His dedication towards his family and his work amazes me in ways that words cannot describe. The sacrifices he had to make, the things he achieved became something I wish I could grasp one day. The respect for my mother is all the same. Her diligence and patience in raising her five kids shows how loving she is. Her sacrifices are something I know I could never repay.

My respect for my siblings is just as high. They are my motivators, my motor. Though they make fun of me sometimes, I know they would always look out for me. The things they achieved and their talents make me so eager to discover the world in a wider perspective. The same goes for my relatives :)

Not to be hypocritical, but it is quite hard to make me respect somebody. To respect another person, they should be someone so much better than my stubborn, spoiled self. And to respect you, the first rule is that you have to respect my family.I honestly think respect cannot be given so easily. I have seen many people who doesn't deserve respect for what they have done and the disappointment in people could take away respect with a blink of an eye.

The way fate happens, you can never expect anything more in another person. That is what I've learnt in the 16 years of life. And in life full of disappointment and betrayers, you have to be the ones who are kind, honest and loyal to be the ones to gain respect.

I'm old enough to differentiate between what is right and what is wrong. And i know to whom respect should be given to and to whom respect should be thought twice before being handed to. I learn it all from those I witness to have been worthy of my respect, and from those I learn to dislike. It is still a learning experience.