Aretha Franklin spelled these letters in a song that most of us can hear in our heads just as we spell the letters ourselves. While these words are often associated with deference given to authority, or something you have to provide to those who are older, wiser, stronger, or more intimidating, I think of respect differently.
“Respect is love in plain clothes.” Frankie Byrne
I love that quote. Respect as a way of relating to people around you all the time in a non-flashy, understated but important way. Respect as a way to love. That a way of loving is respect. That occurs to me sometimes when a sarcastic comment is on the tip of my tongue as one of my kids didn’t do something as requested.
One of the ways to love is to resist that subtle (or not so sublte!) disrespect that can come so easily when you’re irritated with a loved one.
May your love disguised in the plain clothes of respect today.
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