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*Way back in T-pisode 187 I wrote about the word forgiveness followed by T-pisode 205 where I defined my version of the word success. Two of the most difficult T-pisodes I ever forced myself to write but felt I had to share. A lot of people want to know more about my opinions on life and how I see things the way I do and the reasons behind it all. So I’m obliging. For the next 10 Mondays 2/17/14-4/21/14 I am going to write about a particular word and show the world how I define it. Something different but I hope you take something away from it all. Enjoy.
Respect. You’re supposed to respect someone because you admire them for who they are, what they accomplished and where they’re going. And they’re supposed to respect you back for the same right? That’s how it is supposed to be. Well that’s all fine and dandy but that doesn’t cut it for me if you’re not worthy of my respect. One thing about me, you can like me, love me, fear me or hate me, but you damn well will respect me. I can say with total conviction that I am a man who commands respect. Pound for pound; story for story; accomplishment for accomplishment; fight for fight…they don’t come anymore respected than T. That’s for damn sure. But I don’t give my respect out freely. Oh hell no. If you did nothing, if you are nothing and you’re going to continue to be nothing? Then you WILL NOT get one ounce of respect from me. Period.
My father used to do some messed up shit and then he would yell at me “You have to respect me because I’m your father.” Really? Respect you? After what you just said and did? Any man can father a child but that doesn’t make him a dad. Same goes for the men who refuse to work to support their family. Same goes for the douchebags I see out and about treating their girlfriends and wives like shit. I don’t respect losers. I don’t respect douchebags. I don’t respect clowns. You know who I respect? Men. Grown ass men who command and deserve respect like me. You treat a woman like shit? You have no respect for her then I give no respect to you. You don’t take care of your kids? No respect for family then no respect for you. You want to get drunk and act like a tough guy and start a fight? No respect for yourself then no respect for you and I’ll throw you a beating just for the hell of it. Come on. Respect isn’t given, it’s earned. One of the oldest yet most truest statements in the book. Be a man who has done something and can carry his head high, chest out and shoulders strong first. Be able to wake up every day and look yourself in the eye in the mirror when you raise your head out of the sink in the morning dripping wet. Have respect for yourself first. Don’t assume that just because you have a pair of balls that you are a real man and should get respect from everyone that crosses your path. No. That’s not how it works. Learn about respect first then maybe you’ll figure out whether you are the type of man who deserves it or not.
Don’t confuse respect with attention. Don’t think that your ego can’t be exposed and shattered right in front of you by a better man. Because it will. Once you’ve been broken as a man then maybe you’ll start rebuilding yourself to become a better man. And for all you guys who get up every single day and make the most of their lives, you deserve your respect. The love and respect you give your wives, kids, friends, coworkers is the reason they respect you back. A real man commands respect and gives it back when he recognizes another real man. Respect is the code among men, not the ego stroke that lesser men think they deserve. Now you know. Respect.
Until next time. Always take it there.
T
T-blawg 