Why is giving respect to others so important?
Swamiji Says…
Oct 1, 2018
Why is giving respect to others so important?
We all crave respectability and want to feel important. For human beings, getting respect as important as the eyes and the mouth. We all crave it. However, just as we cannot demand a tree to provide us food, we cannot demand respect from the world. The tree cannot put a fruit in our mouth, it is up to us to carefully pluck, clean and eat. That taste is enjoyed on a soft tongue but if we are not careful with chewing, we may bite our own tongue. We take such care in order to just enjoy the taste of food. When it comes to the enjoying the taste of respect showered on us by the world, what precautions are we taking on our behalf? We blindly demand respect based on our social status, wealth and power we may hold. But unless we are careful in our speech, just as we are careful about how we chew food, we cannot be assured of receiving respect given freely and with love. Respect given out of fear will be burnt away as soon as we get it.
The people around us are like mirrors. If we see a happy face, that happiness is reflected in our own mind. If they are unhappy that is also reflected in our mind. If we spread laughter and joy to others and give them respectability, that will, in turn, be reflected in our mind. There will be no need to demand respect. The reason we don’t do this is that we underestimate people. We are arrogant towards others because we feel that they are weak and insignificant. A tiger cub may be tiny, but we do not underestimate its ability to be true to its nature. Similarly, no one can be underestimated. One day, the roles may reverse and we will be at the receiving end. Whatever respect we may have given to those who were below us will flow back to us in course of time whether we seek it or not, whether or not we are in the same position as before.
Giving respect is like planting a fruit tree. It may take a long time for the seed to sprout and for the tree to grow to full size, but once it does it will not stop bearing fruit. A fruit tree feeds every creature that comes to it be it birds, animals or humans. If the fruit is particularly tasty, the tree will be well taken care of by humans. Similarly, if what we give to others in the form of love and respect is very soft and warm, the world will take care of us. Not being respectful is like planting a thorny bush. Even animals will be afraid to come close. We plant the seeds of loneliness and fear that will come back to haunt us when we stop respecting others.
When we give respect, it is like walking with comfortable shoes that protect us from sharp rocks, dirt, and other impediments. Imagine walking barefoot all the time. We lose an invisible cover of protection when we fail to respect our parents, elders, community and Mother Nature. If we are not respectful, the road ahead will not be smooth, the journey will be slow and dangerous and even our own mind may turn against us. We may then do a rash and hasty act which by which our freedom may be lost. In order to give respect, all it takes is a kind word, a helping hand, and a big heart. No one can say we are not equipped to do that. All of us have the same instruments, of the body and the mind.
Blessings to all
Swami Ponnurangam
Oct 1, 2018
Why is giving respect to others so important?
We all crave respectability and want to feel important. For human beings, getting respect as important as the eyes and the mouth. We all crave it. However, just as we cannot demand a tree to provide us food, we cannot demand respect from the world. The tree cannot put a fruit in our mouth, it is up to us to carefully pluck, clean and eat. That taste is enjoyed on a soft tongue but if we are not careful with chewing, we may bite our own tongue. We take such care in order to just enjoy the taste of food. When it comes to the enjoying the taste of respect showered on us by the world, what precautions are we taking on our behalf? We blindly demand respect based on our social status, wealth and power we may hold. But unless we are careful in our speech, just as we are careful about how we chew food, we cannot be assured of receiving respect given freely and with love. Respect given out of fear will be burnt away as soon as we get it.
The people around us are like mirrors. If we see a happy face, that happiness is reflected in our own mind. If they are unhappy that is also reflected in our mind. If we spread laughter and joy to others and give them respectability, that will, in turn, be reflected in our mind. There will be no need to demand respect. The reason we don’t do this is that we underestimate people. We are arrogant towards others because we feel that they are weak and insignificant. A tiger cub may be tiny, but we do not underestimate its ability to be true to its nature. Similarly, no one can be underestimated. One day, the roles may reverse and we will be at the receiving end. Whatever respect we may have given to those who were below us will flow back to us in course of time whether we seek it or not, whether or not we are in the same position as before.
Giving respect is like planting a fruit tree. It may take a long time for the seed to sprout and for the tree to grow to full size, but once it does it will not stop bearing fruit. A fruit tree feeds every creature that comes to it be it birds, animals or humans. If the fruit is particularly tasty, the tree will be well taken care of by humans. Similarly, if what we give to others in the form of love and respect is very soft and warm, the world will take care of us. Not being respectful is like planting a thorny bush. Even animals will be afraid to come close. We plant the seeds of loneliness and fear that will come back to haunt us when we stop respecting others.
When we give respect, it is like walking with comfortable shoes that protect us from sharp rocks, dirt, and other impediments. Imagine walking barefoot all the time. We lose an invisible cover of protection when we fail to respect our parents, elders, community and Mother Nature. If we are not respectful, the road ahead will not be smooth, the journey will be slow and dangerous and even our own mind may turn against us. We may then do a rash and hasty act which by which our freedom may be lost. In order to give respect, all it takes is a kind word, a helping hand, and a big heart. No one can say we are not equipped to do that. All of us have the same instruments, of the body and the mind.
Blessings to all
Swami Ponnurangam
