I personally have never achieved respect.

Just like Rodney Dangerfield said, "I get no respect!"

I know that out in the world at large some people believe they deserve respect.

I know that these same people also believe that they are owed respect.

Respect, where does it come from?

What is respect?

Respect means to admire, someone or something, genuinely, as a result of their abilities, qualities, or achievements.

Does just existing earn you respect?

Like a child is supposed to respect their parents.

But what if the parents neglect, abuse the child?

Is respect still required by the child for their guardian?

If a poll could be taken asking if your parents were flawless, they were excellent, I would wager that getting a perfect set of parents is akin to the same odds as being struck by lightning.

The odds of being struck by lightning is 1 in 3,000.

Those odds seem low to my own experience of being struck three times in my life so far by lightning.

I thought I was unique.

I get no respect from lighting either.

Respect.

Respect is earned never given.

Two figures this past week entered the Thunder Dome of Respect.

One lost respect.

The other earned respect.

Our President, Donald Trump, lost respect when he demanded it of the former head of the CIA John Brennan.

Admittedly, our President has been on a slide losing respect from the nation starting with his inauguration.

Trump's high water mark for respect was that inaugural day of his presidency.

Every minute of the day since he's been shoveling crap as hard as he can demanding respect and personal loyalty.

He's obviously losing respect.

The second, the winner of all time, is the one and only Aretha Franklin.

She earns all of our respect for her character.

She earns our respect for using her gift to lift us all up.

It is our privilege to have been witness to her talent, her style, and her grace.

It is humbling to know that a great soul, an angel walked among us.

Her hands reached out to touch us here on the edge of darkness to pull us back to the light.

Her grace was amazing.

Thank you, Aretha Franklin, for sharing yourself with us.

Respect.

Peace

DFrey