GMC News
Word of the Week: Respect
Georgia Military College Prep School
Word of the Week: Respect
Week of May 8 – 14, 2016
Definition: To hold in esteem or honor; to show regard or consideration for
Quotable Quotes:
“There is no respect for others without humility in one's self.” – Henri Frederic Amiel
“Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners.” – Laurence Sterne
“It is so important to get respect for what you do and at the same time give it.” – Estelle Parsons
“Respect yourself if you would have others respect you.” – Baltasar Gracian
“Knowledge will give you power, but character respect.” – Bruce Lee
“When we show our respect for other living things, they respond with respect for us.” – Arapaho Saying
Let’s Get To The Point:
This past weekend, my church did missions work locally in Milledgeville and Baldwin County. We picked up trash along Log Cabin Road. We put together kits to be used by numerous agencies in our local area including DFAC and the Alzheimer’s unit at the Veteran’s Home and did lawn maintenance and cut the grass at the Chard Wray Food Bank. We showed respect to our fellow man by reaching out and helping. We recognize that there are so many in our local community who need a hand and not just a hand out. My church did not have to travel hundreds of miles away to help, we did it right here in our own backyard. We all need to respect those around us who we call neighbors, because everyone likes to be respected.
Putting Words into Action:
So just how can we show respect on a daily basis? How about a Top Ten list of respectful things to do? From the home offices in Boxford Massachusetts, here is the Word of the Week Top Ten Respect List: Listen harder, be considerate, keep your promise, be on time, have manners, encourage, be fair, go out of your way, preserve one’s dignity, and do not assume! Without a doubt, if we were to lead our lives by this list, things would be so much better for all of us. Each point plays off one another.
Think About It:
Respect is a two way street. You must give this virtue to receive it and it may be the easiest of all virtues to live. Be courteous and help those around you. Be polite to others and give your undivided attention to who you are talking to. Think before you speak and be kind to others is the truest form of respect.
Reflection
Bryan H. McGill once said, “One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.” Are you the one who talks all the time and never listens, or are you the one who listens and never talks? Listening to someone and not glancing at your cellular device or glancing around shows great respect to the person speaking.
Respect is not just listening to someone who is talking. It is natural in humanity when you meet someone to have a sense of respect for them. Others might say that respect is just being nice to others when you are around them. It is not just smiling and being kind, it is listening and not interrupting. It is when you not only are nice to others, but when you are nice to yourself. Respect is not something just to have for others; it is also for one’s self. Having respect for your self is a huge part of living a happy life. Reaching out to those in need or being a true friend to someone is a great way to show respect to mankind.
There are many people in this world who show great respect to others. One those people is the president of our school, Lieutenant General William B. Caldwell IV. If you have had the opportunity to meet him, you know this is to be true. No matter what day or time it is, he is always willing to take a moment to speak to you and make you feel that you are the only person in the room. If you were to see him casually walking down the street, you can tell that he has respect for himself by the way he carries himself. When he speaks to you, he makes direct eye contact so you know that he is listening. He and his wife, Stephanie, have three children who have been raised to have great respect for others. By the example he sets, it is easy to see that General Caldwell is an all-around great man. From his family, to his career, to his faith, LTG Caldwell shows respect in all that he does.
C/SFC Shelby Medlin is a student at Georgia Military College Prep School
