Respect

Respect for others takes us out of the dead end of becoming overly self-preoccupied.
When I become the main criteria of what I need to do and how I act, I stop growing; I regress from where I am meant to be.

If I keep reminding myself to be respectful to others and to all of creation around me, I continue my journey of self-discovery.
It removes the need to compete with others, to compare myself with others. It removes coveting and jealousy.
It removes the need to be noticed and approved by others.
It helps in dealing with fear and insecurity.

Respect connects, disrespect divides.
I can only discover my true self when I am in harmony with God, others, and creation.
This connection, this harmony, helps me to discover the mystery of my true self!

We are of course on a journey of self-discovery. We grow in our journey of respect. We need constant recommitment, we need to keep intentionally focusing on respect.
We have instincts, unconscious baggage which while not bad in themselves can keep distracting us from this commitment.

God is profoundly and infinitely respectful of us and indeed of all creation.
Respect is about true loving, unconditional loving.