Respect. We demand it, think we are entitled to it and get upset if we don’t get it. Respect for oneself, respect for others, respect for an organization or institution, even when we don’t agree with their actions. Respect doesn’t require agreement; it just requires acknowledgement.  

Respect for ourselves comes from doing our best in any situation. It’s not disparaging ourselves because we are not perfect, but it is accepting who we are — people who are trying to do their best, even when we fall short. It’s being kind to ourselves. It’s not letting others dictate to us what or how we should be. It’s acknowledging when we march to our own drum because that is what makes sense to us. Being respectful to ourselves means not referring to ourselves and others with disparaging labels or nicknames.  

Elsie Hickman is a Lake Martin resident and weekly columnist for The Outlook.