The People I Respect

The people I most respect are not infallible – they err just like anyone else. What they do differently is that they own their mistakes, correcting them where possible and learning from them. They strive to be better than they were before.

The people I most respect know that sometimes it is impossible to avoid hurting someone, but they care about the pain they cause, however unavoidable. They may not regret necessary actions that cause the pain, but they do regret that someone was hurt. They don’t find joy in someone else’s pain.

The people I most respect know that people matter. No designation there – just people of all races, religions, sexual preference, gender identity, etc. People matter.

The people I most respect also respect themselves. They know that if kindness, empathy, and respect are given to oneself, it will flow to those around them as well.

This is who I want to be.