Why should we respect other people or why retired people want to be respected? Respect has to be earned it doesn’t rain on someone. A simple definition of respect; is the way of treating or thinking about something or someone. You show respect to other people by being polite and kind such as giving a helping hand when a retired person need help. An important aspect here is to accept somebody for who they are even when they are different from you, irrespective of the background or situation whether rich or poor, at the end of the day we are all human beings.
Some retired people think that since they’re old they deserve to be respected irrespective of their actions or behaviour. Being retired does not automatically present you an opportunity to be respected, your actions will determine whether people should respect as an honourable retired person.
Retired People
What do we need to do as retired people in order to be respected by the society, family and friends? There’s a lot we can do as retirees, our actions will be the determining factor. Such as you’re in supermarket queuing a young couple come with a young child yelling would you allow them to pay first or simply because you’re retiree you wouldn’t let them pay first? Whatever your decision in that situation, how would you feel as a respectable retired person?
If you allow them to go first that’s a respect you have earned and you never know what would happen to you in future. As a retired person this is your chance to look for opportunities to help that you might have previously overlooked, or you didn’t have time as you were busy juggling work and other responsibilities. Take responsibility and do things without waiting for someone to ask for assistance. Read my other article on good actions.
Sometimes other people just provoke simply because you are an old folk or just the way you look in order to see how you would react, in this incidence you can feel that you have the right to react badly or even insult them. But if you respect yourself just ignore them and don’t rise to their actions. If you react you’ll be putting yourself to their level.
How important is respect in retired people or any person
It’s a fact that our actions or attitude especially of grown up, paves the way our children grow and treat others. As child growing up when older or important people respect you from tender age, those actions will teach you how to be respectful towards others irrespective of their original. It’s just like a child growing up if the parents are always using the “F” word and not treating him/her as a human being, what will be the language that kid will use.
There are a few things we can do:
- Encourage other people to express opinions and ideas listen to what others have to say before expressing your views, don’t put words into someone’s mouth.
- Use people’s ideas to change or improve work
- Never interrupt or speak over another person
- Always ask if you didn’t get or understand what someone said rather then assumption
Does Respect Matter in Relationship?
Why does respect matter in any relationship? Is there any love in relationship without respect of each other? Everyone expects their partner to respect and love them, however this is supposed to be a two way traffic, and both should respect each other. For any relationship to be a success and survive it’s important that there are these two ingredients i.e. respect and trust.
It is a fact that without respect from your partner there can be no real love how can you say you love someone if you have no respect such as whenever they say something you interrupt in the middle of a sentence or sometimes nowadays with this dotcom world most of the time partners don’t even to listen a spouse or partner but they’re busy on their phones, they have more respect to the phone than to the partner. People are having their dinner, however, everyone is busy checking their phones, what kind of respect is this? Remember, respect in relationship matters a lot as it can help to build and strengthen feelings of trust, safety, happiness and well-being.
Types of respect
Respect can be defined into two categories, there is respect for person as a human being irrespective of their colour, belief etc. and respect as an authority. Every human being is supposed to be treated with courtesy, politeness and kindness
How do we treat retired people with respect?
It is a fact that when someone retires, there are some people who Have a tendency to treat them as they’re no longer of any use as they are not working. As such even when someone comes up with very viable ideas nobody will listen to them simply because they’re retirees.
Most people tend to think that when someone is retired they’re too old and no longer have the mental capacity for such ideas. However, remember these are human beings, and age is just a number so treat them with respect they deserve, the same manner you would like to be treated.
How to Create a Culture of Respect at Work?
Respect is a key requirement for a healthy work environment as it promotes teamwork and increases productivity and efficiencies. When people are treated with respect, it helps employees to know they are valued for their abilities, contributions, qualities and achievements and that their role is important to their company’s success.
Is Important for Retired Person to Respect their body?
Another important aspect is your body, being retired does not mean that you ignore your body. You should still feel good about yourself, your body is your temple, it needs to be treated with respect. There are few things you can do to respect your body such as; compliment yourself; stop those negative thoughts/talks about yourself; stop weighing yourself; wear something comfortable and not what other people want; stop comparing yourself to others; avoid dieting; don’t entertain hunger .that is don’t ignore when you feel hungry eat in moderation.
Is respect for Everyone Irrespective of their Background?
I always ask myself the following questions:
- Does a person have to be worthy, to be treated with respect by people in the society?
- Is everything and everyone worthy of respect?
Everyone deserves to be treated with respect. You can have respect for someone you don’t even like them, however, if they do something that perhaps is of advantageous to the community/society and they have done or doing not for prestige or to be praised but just helping other people, such a person would have earned many people’s respect.
Respect towards other persons, should always be an acceptance of who they are without judgment or ridicule.
My late father once told me a story about respect irrespective of someone’s background:
When my father was in the Germany army, one day he wasn’t feeling well. He told the German officer that he wasn’t feeling well, if he could be excused from doing the parade. However, instead of listening to his request the officer felled him down. Everyone in the platoon was very surprised and those people who knew my father very well understood that he was a young man who didn’t entertain any nonsense.
He was a man with principle he didn’t like anyone making someone feel unworthy he would fight or they used to say teach that person a lesson. They called him Ngobolela meaning a wrestler, who could fight and had no fear of anyone. So everyone expected he would fight back because he didn’t fear anybody. To everyone’s surprise, instead, he got up went and sat on the side.
When the commanding officer came he was surprised to see Ngobelela sitting down. He went and asked him why he wasn’t with others but sitting down, he looked at the officer with tears welling in his eyes, he said, why don’t you ask your officer? He called the officer and asked him what happened why Ngobolela wasn’t with others? The officer said that Ngobelela doesn’t want to listen. However, the commanding officer said it’s not normal for this young man to cry, I need to know the truth. Then my father explained to the commanding officer, I told your officer that, I am not feeling well instead of listening he felled me down.
When it was proved that’s what that officer did, the commanding officer told him now is your turn you have to apologise to Ngobolela and he was frog matched in front of the whole platoon. The Commanding officer, thanked my father for his sensible action of not fighting back, otherwise, it would have been a massive chaos had he fought back. As a reward to Ngobolela for not fighting back, everyone respected him and the Germans started teaching him other trades such carpentry. When the war ended Ngobolela was a qualified carpenter.
When it was time to go home, they gave him some carpentry equipment so that he could start his entrepreneurship the carpentry business. That business helped to pay fees for our education, as he was also taking care of his older brother’s children, there were times when there were 7 to 8 kids in school and my brother was at boarding school. Had my father reacted, he wouldn’t have had that chance to get that training and get the equipment.
I recall very well, he was a very good carpenter. As far as I remember, while growing up he was the only carpenter in the village, known as “Fundi “carpenter. In fact as kids we didn’t know his real name we thought Fundi was his given name. There are times when people called Fundi I was offended as I thought they didn’t respect him and why can’t they address him as my daddy or his surname, until I came to learn that because he was the only carpenter, and that’s his trade name and not his given name. A lot of people in the village didn’t know his real name.
Until today, there is one thing which the people in the village cherish is the main church door which he made in late 1950s that door is still perfect and strong to date. However, one good thing he taught other young people in the village is the trade and the value of respect.
Respect should be for everyone individual person irrespective of their colour, belief etc. Every human being is supposed to be treated with courtesy, politeness and kindness. If you would like to be respected then show respect to others too and live a happy life. Start treating today and look into yourself how do I treat others? Am I one of those people who judge someone by their colour or background and not as a human being.
Search yourself today and act upon your behaviour and thoughts or actions.
