A Lesson To Be Learned...

The recent passing of former president Gerald Ford has got me thinking (always a dangerous proposition). As with any Commander-In-Chief who has died, the funeral services will be replete with all the trappings a leader of our nation"deserves". We say they DESERVE it, but why? Were all these former presidents such great men? Were they on par with a Lincoln or a Kennedy? Did they perhaps do something that warrants our eternal rememberance?

Then it hit me....it's the OFFICE that they held (as well as the person) that determines the level of pomp and circumstance that person will receive. That really hits home, when you stop and think about it. This is our nation's (best) way of showing RESPECT. And if you take a look around you today, respect in ANY form is in very short supply.

Any serviceman or woman that dies is accorded the right to a military funeral service (flag folding, gun salute, etc)...out of RESPECT. When you stop by a funeral home to "visit" the bereaved family of a friend of yours, you do it out of RESPECT. Used to be you took one's hat off when entering a building (out of respect). You place your hand over your heart when addressing the flag of our nation...out of respect. You salute a superior officer (under specific conditions), not becasue it's merely an "order", but that order is based out of respect for that rank (and the person holding it).

The Japanese have always had what I call the "bowing system".....people BOW to one another, and the depth of the bow determines the level of respect shown. And after all this time, it's STILL in full swing. Sadly, little respect is shown in America today, whether it's on our streets, in our homes, or even towards the highest offices held in this nation. MY parents were always on me to "respect your elders"...and that meant they KNEW MORE becausof their age....OK, no biggie...never hurt me one bit to follow that advice (even to this day). Kids today don't even resepct themselves, let alone their parents, teachers or "elders". Respect isn't "cool" to have, BUT...it's "cool" to demand it of others when you don't do anything to deserve it yourself. They can't respect themselves, but they demand everyone else to respect them (or else)...how WRONG is that? The consequences of this "respect gig" leads to more violence on our streets...we know this to be all too true.

Whether it's the position a person held or the person themselves, the bottom line is a show of RESPECT to that individual (or at least to the office or position held) And one disturbing trend today is the LACK of respect shown to our current president. I find it highly annoying that people would continuously berate a man without regard to the office he holds. I may not agree with everything (or anything) the leader of our nation does or says, but that sure as hell doesn't mean he does NOT deserve my respect if only for the office he holds. And to that end, I will acknowledge that as my duty as a citizen under that office's leadership of this nation.

Perhaps if he were a dictator, placed in office during a coup d'etat under a fascist regime, I would feel a lot differently, but by our OWN system of free elections, he was placed into office by US....the citizens of this nation, and we should demonstrate our belief in the free democratic system we have chosen to follow by showing respect for the office that man holds, if not for the man himself.

For the next several days, we will be privy to a multitude of displays and ceremonies that reach far beyond mere courtesy, but will demonstrate the pinnacle of this nation's RESPECT for Former president Ford. When time permits, I will most likely be watching the services. And after all is said and done, and he is laid to rest, how many of us will long remember the level of respect the nation has shown to this man...this office? And how many will carry that respect out from their homes and hearts and display it towards their fellow man in weeks, months, or years to come?

Funny how the finality of death can bring home so many things that the living should be concerning themselves with, isn't it? When the end of life confronts us, we are reminded of how LIFE itself should be conducted.

Yes, it IS all about RESPECT.