Sunday, July 3, 2016

Respect - What is it, really?

FACEBOOK Feedback:

Recently, I read this post from a Facebook friend:

"I have a SERIOUS question that I need your opinion on. My daughter recently moved out of my house to her boyfriend's place. He proposed to her and she said yes. I have no problem there I'm genuinely happy for them. But, this may be old school, but I'm feeling a certain kind of way because he didn't come to me and ask for my approval. Not that I would say no, but out of respect. Am I wrong for feeling the way I'm feeling?"

After reading this, I can see how it can make any reader think or feel that this is an issue of respect, but is it?

Of course the father has his right to think and feel however he may choose, but to feel disrespected by the young man's actions, we have to first know that if falls under the definition of respect. As RelationshipGED teaches, we have to put the situation into proper perspective first. So right here, we will use The LOOK-UP Process found in KINDERGARTEN to guide us into a proper understanding.

Re*spect: noun
: a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements.

From here, we can clearly understand that the young man's decision not to come to the father isn't about disrespect, because respect has to do with how he currently feels about the father. But according to its definition, this comes by means of how the the father has shown himself to the young man. The old saying goes: "to get respect, you have to give respect first." We can't expect someone to admire us if we haven't shown admiral actions toward them. Just as the father may wrongly feel this is about disrespect, the young man may wrongly feel the father isn't admirable.

So if it's not respect, then what is it?

This is a case of tradition and The LOOK-UP Process proves it.

Tra*di*tion: noun
: the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way.

As the father makes his case that his thinking or feeling may be old school, we can clearly see how this connects to tradition. Desiring that the young man had made the effort to come and ask for his blessing, shows the father's strong connections with his own family understandings and teachings. This is why its the father's place, upfront and first, to approach and question the intentions of a young suitor before the relationship gets to the point of marriage. Also at this early stage, its the father's responsibility to tell the young man how he expects the young man to act toward his daughter and his family.

We shouldn't propose that the young man disrespected the father by not holding up traditions the father holds dear, because the young man wasn't raised by the father to understand and appreciate these same traditions. The father can and should feel a sadness, but not out of disrespect, just for the lost opportunity to hold up his family's tradition.

But all is NOT lost! We can recover from situations like this. Our relationships will rebound if we the proper understandings and use the proper tools of repair. The father still has the opportunity to call the young man into his counsel and help him to understand his perspective on what has happened. Not only the negative thoughts and feelings of not being asked for his blessing, but to also allow for the correction by asking the young man to now come and ask for the blessing. At this point, all have the new opportunity to let go, move on and start on a brand new page.

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