Although the human race is immensely diverse, people often forget to look at differences of appearances and situations to decide how to react in specific instances. Whether humankind is inherently good or evil is an argument of its own, but no matter what their predisposition, it is not uncommon for people to forget that the person they are arguing with, sitting next to in the bus, or even watching from their window is just as human as themselves. It is even easy for adults to forget that the children they speak with, although more impressionable and less mature than other adults, have emotions and can think for themselves. Today, people forget to treat others as they would like to be treated, young and old, alike. Yes, that maxim may be overused to the point of being a cliche, but it is, nonetheless, an underrated concept that has lost its way in an environment where technological changes are so prevalent but psychological and social changes remain stagnant. What the world needs now is some fresh-squeezed perspective to remind them that where we come from variegates us, but overall, every person just wants to be loved, appreciated, and most importantly, respected.
Every person suffers in some way, and every person knows that life is not always fair. Some people are dealt better hands than others and are forced to fold in their first turn. Others are dealt hands so successful that they cannot even handle something as harmless as a bent card. But, humans are all unified by the knowledge that nothing will always turn out the way they truly want it to, and circumstances will sometimes become worse rather than better. If all of that is true, then why are people so quick to judge others. They are aware that anything could happen to a person that might manifest into aggression or anger, but they still take personally all that other people do to them. They still blame people for forgetfulness or for lashing out. But, the truth is, there is likely a very logical explanation for the reason someone might be acting particularly rude. The person they were rude to may not be aware of what is going on inside the aggressor’s head. While it is debatable that the angry person should be able to let go of his or her anger in the presence of other people, self control and anger management are difficult for even the calmest and wisest of people. There is no cure for the ailment that is life, but there is a way for all people to make the load easier. If everyone treated one’s fellows with compassion, always having in mind that there may be something going on behind the scenes, and giving all people the benefit of the doubt, those people will feel safer, understood, and far less stressed. When a person is upset, blaming them for being rude is not going to cool them down in the slightest.
Not only should people keep in mind that those around them may be suffering, but they should also never diminish another person’s suffering. Every person experiences pain in different amounts, and the highest amount that one person has experienced pain may not be as painful as another’s worst experience; however, remember that what they are experiencing, although incomparable to what one’s own, is truly hard for them at the moment. It makes no difference if that pain is but a papercut to one’s heart attack, for it may feel like a heart attack to the other person because they may not know what a heart attack really feels like. One should not compare pain but rather work to ease it. People who feel loved and understood are often the better for it, and even a small act of kindness can change the course of someone’s life.
Now, appreciation comes in many shapes and sizes, and it goes without saying that one should always be appreciative to people who assist them, but a great deal of people are not appreciating themselves. Today’s society is not so keen on giving people the time to appreciate themselves or even the incentive to do so. Perfecting is a word thrown around so often in the world that the gravity of its meaning has been lost. The word perfect can be associated with utopian ideals, which everyone understands to be far-fetched and virtually unreachable. If nothing is perfect and nothing can be perfect, then it should not be difficult for people to value their efforts, be grateful for who they are, and even treat themselves when they have done something especially challenging or burdensome. Maybe it is society that makes us feel as if we are not enough. Maybe humans are predisposed to feel as if they are not enough. Maybe it is a bit of both. Either way, every person owes it to oneself to remember how hard life is and to give oneself praise for at least getting through it. Forget about obligations. People will understand if one needs time for oneself to relax, recuperate, and indulge.
Respect is another one of the lost arts of this age, but there is not just one culprit. Adults and children, alike, are disrespectful to their fellows for a variety of reasons. One reason in particular has become more prevalent as the younger generations are told to question everything that they encounter. Oftentimes, people disrespect others solely because they feel disrespected themselves. Respect is a circle game, and as long as it is human nature to feel threatened towards acts of aggression, respect will always be a virtue that must be earned. The only way to live in a world in which humans respect their fellows is to keep in mind to be respectful to anyone, no matter their age, ethnicity, religions, or any other aspect of a person that might be discriminated against. Men should respect women just as women respect men. Teachers should respect students just as students respect teachers. When respect is transferred peacefully between two parties, a feeling of unity and trust is fostered between them.
Yes, people differ in so many ways, but they all wanted to be treated the same way, as well. Firstly, people want so badly to feel understood and accepted. It can be difficult to keep feelings of anger and sadness to oneself, and those feelings will often spill out over another person, but sharing the perspective of the other person will make it easier for you to understand their pain and react accordingly. This will then help the person because they will be properly assisted and nurtured. People also need to have a fresh perspective on themselves by appreciating the work that they do everyday. It is easy for people to help others, but to truly be happy, they must find a way to help themselves and be their own best friend. Once a person has found the ability to thank and even reward themselves, their perspective on all people changes. They now have the ability to see the efforts of every person. Upon defeating one’s own demons and helping others defeat theirs, an ongoing respect between all people needs to be established. Using their ability to perceive situations in a different light, people need to look at their peers through a lens of understanding and establish a non-threatening rapport with them.
At heart, people are just looking for acceptance and love, but they face obstacles in the forms of stress and anxiety that make it difficult to convey their feelings properly. If every person does his or her utmost to empathize with others, the world will certainly be a brighter, altered place. An environment of true understanding and bliss is just a new perspective away.
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