Respect

You know,

humans make up their minds about things because of what they know and feel,

but clearly sometimes they can think that they know something very well,

and later have to admit they were wrong.

Sometimes it takes a long time to learn things,

so there is some stuff that is mostly only known by older people.

And from the time they are babies humans always have a need for those older than them,

who have had more time to learn more than the young ones about what is right.

So when young humans talk to their elders

they always need to remember

that in a few years time they might have to admit

that the old ones they argued with were right.

So Respect is a way of a young person showing an older person that they understand

that someone who has lived longer has had more time to learn stuff.

And it's not just the learning,

it's showing that they understand

that the older person has had the time

to have done all the things they have learned from.

Now you'd think that they would be happy to always follow the advice of those older than themselves,

or at least think about it.

But no,

there seems to be something in humans that makes them think that they know best.

Look at the way that kids sometimes get to feel about their parents.

They see people

who feed them when they are hungry,

and clean them when they are dirty,

and comfort them when they are feeling bad.

And because that's the way that it's always been,

they start off thinking that this is the way that it will always be.

Babies don't understand what it means to do work,

and it takes a while of being kids for them to understand

how hard a job it is for older people to look after children.

And because their parents love and care for them, and serve them,

kids can grow up treating their parents like servants

if they don't know the meaning of Respect.

Of course some old people can be really stupid,

they are human after all,

but even when they aren't stupid they often seem that way to young ones.

We learn things from living,

and what is important in young people's lives

isn't always important in the lives of older people.

But because older people aren't interested in the same things as younger people any more

doesn't mean that they haven't been through the same sorts of things when they were young.

Because older people have lived through so much,

young people should show them respect for what they know.

It doesn't mean that old people are always right.

But for the things that they have lived through, if nothing else, we show Respect.

Think of how you would want kids to treat you if you were an old person.

And remember, if God wills it, you will be one day.