respect is within

What is respect?

By standard definition from many cultures, it would mean having a high consideration for others.

Since most people are fighting for the same thing: Material resources which in turn are scarce in most society thus endangering the noble quality of the word "Respect" and other abstract words such as right, wrong, justice, loyalty, freedom to name a few...

At this point, I believe fighting for real survival is a lot more important than doing pseudo-poetry under the banner of a so-called social justice.

As a child, I remember asking Dad what does he think about an issue, his response was always: It does not matter what I think;The truth is What do you think it is?

Another favorite of his was: It is dangerous to look at other people's mirror.

Respect is that elusive concept that we gave ourselves.

Respect is that self-worth that we gave ourselves.

Nobody can take it away or give it to you. It is yours to keep.
Yes, I believe there should be a descent minimum wage even for a country as poor as Haiti.

Most people know that nobody can get rich by working the minimum wage, A lot of people also know that their best investment should be in their kids. By educating them, by nourishing their souls and by pointing out to them what ever "beauty" is left in this world.

My Boss may not appreciate me as person, but I will make damn sure that my kids never set foot at my boss's. My government think very little of me. Fine, I was stupid to elect them in the first place...My educated children will make sure that they will elect officials that do make sense.

Indeed, they will elect people for their past experiences, for their relevant knowledge and for their ability to lead the Country.

We will not longer elect presidents because we LIKE THEM. We will elect presidents in accordance on good governance, on HOW we want the Country to progress and in accordance with their relevant leadership skills.

We will also NOT elect our presidents on the basis of color, gender or social standing.

We will elect officials because they are simply the BEST to lead among other leaders who applied for the job. For that it requires good CIVIC understanding, true loyalty to the Country, true self-respect, a certain amount of love for our Haitian brethren.

Recently, friends invited me to a retreat that they owned at private Villa on a beach in DR. As I proceeded to carry my suitcase, the Manager stopped to instruct me that's a job for the "Haitians".

Without hesitation, I showed him my passport, although an American Passport, but my birthplace read :Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

He of course profusely apologized.

Later on during the trip, Seized up the occasion to enlightened everyone at the dinner table there how HAITI gave birth to Santo Domingo, tongue-in-cheek, of course as to not offending anyone.

After a few glasses of wine, that night, everybody was in the Kitchen helping the "Haitians" cleaning up.
My hosts were Russians, in turn they were telling their employees, the "Haitians" how my name happened to be listed in their underground movement during the ethnic cleansing in the 1990's. That is how some of them ended up at my place.

After that night both employees and employers discovered a new found "respect" for one another.

I may have to wait a little while longer before twisting their arms to start a retreat in Haiti.

But at least for the time being "respect" was the word du jour. I was also reminded one more time, no matter the circumstances, Haitians know how to keep their head high up to the sky even when facing perilous situations.

Poignant, but remarkable.

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