By Brenda Cannon Henley
I recently wrote an article on a lack of respect for others and it had a particular bent on honoring our elderly and being certain they know how much we love and admire them. I am not sure that our children, young people, and even older teens, and young career age men and women understand the debt of gratitude we owe those that have gone before us and helped to pave the way for us making our life better and success more attainable.

As I wrote the article and thought about the content, I began to ask myself if we really even give thought to the matter? Are we so busy and self-centered that we only think about what is in it for us? Do we judge our actions with the theme of how will it benefit me? What might this action change for my family?

I chanced to read a newspaper article this week about four 14 year old boys making a plan and choosing to kill a food delivery driver bringing them a pizza for dinner. They did not know who the driver would be or had they had any prior contact with the person. They just wanted to do something “for fun.” I cannot even imagine that.

These kids were not hurting. From the account, they were not in trouble, were not abused, not hungry, (they had a credit card to pay for the pizza), and the home in the photograph looked very pleasant. How did we get off track in America this much? Their young lives are ruined. Their parents and grandparents will never be the same. Teachers, youth directors, pastors, counselors, relatives, and certainly the parents will always wonder what went wrong and how it could be avoided. Who erred? When did human life lose its value? It started going wrong when we lost respect for each other.

As if on cue while writing this article, I received two phone calls. One was from a weeping daughter that had just gotten a telephone call that local police officers and the ambulance were waiting for her at her mom’s place of residence. Could she come quickly? My friend believed her mother to be dead. Thankfully, she had carefully cared for her mom.

The second was from a mom that had just received word from several states away that her son had died in his home that morning. He had not been ill. His death had not been expected. In fact, no parent truly expects to bury his child. It is generally thought of in a logical way that the child will bury the parent, but it does not always work that way.

My busy phone buzzed. I read the message. It said, “Four years ago today, I said goodbye to my mother. I still have her voice mails saved so I can hear her talking to me and remember how very much she thought about me.

“You don’t realize what you mean to your mother until the calls stop and until you realize you cannot pick up the phone to tell her something. I remember so many times she would end the call by telling me – “Your call just made my day.

“If your mom (or dad) is still alive – Call them more.”

Respect is shown in so many ways. Some are big and some are small. Do not allow some tiny, small, insignificant, trivial matter keep you out of fellowship with those that love you best. Mend that rift. Make it right. Be the bigger person. Demonstrate respect. If something unexpected should happen tomorrow to you or your loved one, what kind of ending to a relationship will you live with the rest of your life? Don’t allow Satan to get the victory.

We celebrate Valentine Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions. Let’s treat them with respect and thereby, model behavior for future generations. They are watching how we handle our relationships and if we do it with love and respect.

Brenda Cannon Henley can be reached at (409) 781-8788, or
[email protected]

[Feb-15-2021]