Respect is crucial in society

To the editor:
    I agree with Dr. Abouleish in his article last week that respect needs to be part of the foundation to a positive society. In a perfect world, respect should automatically be given to parents, the elderly, teachers, coaches and doctors, but we don't live in a perfect world. It is unfortunate that we live in a world that is full of greed and selfishness, which causes respect to diminish.
    I read once that respect seems to be like a boomerang in the sense that you must send it out before it will come back to you. I believe this to be true.
    It is difficult for children to respect parents and others in their families who physically, sexually and mentally abuse them and demonstrate that lying, cheating, stealing and fighting are the norm. But, when parents demonstrate right from wrong, show love, uplift and encourage their children and each other, then respect is learned and given.
    It is difficult for children to show respect if teachers and coaches are showing favoritism, unfairness and saying insulting things to their students, but when teachers and coaches show kindness, encouragement and fairness, then respect is learned and given.     
    It is difficult for people to respect doctors and nurses when they are not considerate in listening to what their patients have to say or are not respectful of their feelings, but when they show their patients that their thoughts and feelings have value, then respect is learned and given.
    There are many other people that need to be respected — police officers, the military, the elderly — the list goes on. If those in positions of power and authority do not respect other people's needs and feelings, then they will not earn respect.
    Children learn from everything we say and do. We need to be sure that we are modeling respectful behavior.
    How can we show respect to children? By being positive, reliable, fair, trusting, polite, honest, and by being a good listener. These positive attitudes should be demonstrated from childhood, through the teen years and adulthood. For this is where respect is learned and earned.
    In a perfect world, it should be taught at home, but when it is not being done there, it needs to be demonstrated by people who understand just how powerful respect is. It starts with each one of us showing respect to our children, families, co-workers and to all those around us. Respect changes people's lives and when it does there is hope for our community and our world.
    I have great respect for Dr. Abouleish, for he has always shown respect to my family and me. He has demonstrated how considerate and caring a doctor can be. He has earned my respect.
Lynn Skehan
Houlton