LOVE & RESPECT

 

LOVE:

strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties,attraction based on sexual desire, affection based on admiration, an assurance of affection, attachment, devotion, or admiration

 

RESPECT:

a relation or reference to a person, thing or situation, an act of giving particular attention, high or special regard, the quality or state of being esteemed.

Reading these dictionary definitions may give pause to your belief that love and respect are inextricably linked ... apparently, they are not at all linked yet in certain circumstances may go hand in in hand.

Over the past fifteen months or so and possibly during my lifetime, it has finally occurred to me that they are rarely linked but love in its purest and most transparent sense is as they say love is blind! LOVE, to me, is the stronger of the 2 emotions. The problem is that sometimes you fall in love based on the dictionary’s definitions but what is missing is the RESPECT aspect so in essence are you making a tradeoff, an exception or an excuse?

RESPECT however is earned and, in my opinion, the more revered of the two emotions. What comes into the view here is actions speak louder than words, one’s skillset, one professionalism, history and most of all their personal everyday behavior. You don’t have love them but you can respect them for all of the above and more and in my opinion much more difficult to achieve than love.

I’m not quite sure what prompted this outburst but somehow, I believe it has to do with my own mortality as well as my own life long behavior. Karma has certainly chewed my ass and I would never say I don’t deserve it but during this last chapter of life I have tried to make the most of who and what I know and give back what I was so fortunate to “amass in my personal vault.” Some mistake that these gestures come with ulterior motives that don’t exist and then there are those who are ever grateful for something that was so easy for me to do given the contents of my vault and ;lastly  there those who just accept  with  no thanks or recognition at all.  Make no mistake I am still no angel and not afraid to  unleash my anger and angst on whomever I choose as a target. This last instance is really related to disrespecting me on a personal or professional level and I will not hold back or accept it sitting down.

I remind myself and those who know me to “always consider the source!”  and indeed, that is an important factor in any of this.

P.S.   THERE ARE NO NAMES HERE AS THOSE WHO I BOTH LOVE AND RESPECT KNOW WHO THEY ARE!