Respect & Sympathy

Today was my birthday.

I was going to give myself a present and not post about anything today at all... But then I thought....

All my life one of the most important things I've wanted was just some respect and sympathy.

It seems that I have never gotten it... Well, enough to satisfy me. I've done some pretty wild things and accomplished some pretty amazing things too... But they are not the kinds of things that generally get respect in our society. Nor do they get sympathy.

I mean, I've never been the CEO of a large airlines or the country manager of a big company. So I don't get respect...I've been an independent kind of guy, doing independent things all my life. It's best for me that way... I hate having a boss.... But that doesn't gain me sympathy, either.

Wanting respect and sympathy is something that is wanted by not just me, but by everyone. There is not a person amongst us who feels that they get the respect not sympathy that they deserve.

Do yourself a favor. Next time someone around you does something that you think is small or minor, instead of pointing out faults, why don't you point out good things? What is important to you may not be important to them.

Like Dale Carnagie writes in "How to Win Friends and Influence People":

"Three fourths of the people you will ever meet are hungering and thirsting for sympathy. Give it to them and they will love you."

Show people that you care for them. That shows them that you respect them too.