When we are asked to respect the president, just because he is the president, we are not seeing the man, but the title.
This is the exact same thing that happens within families where abuse happens.
Honor thy mother and thy father.
Regardless of the person wearing the title.
It is the title that society wants us to pay homage to. Upholding it, creates a false representation of who is behind it.
It is like they get a free pass, due to the word that describes their job.
See my title, it means more than who I am as a person.
Family carries the same burden.
We honor words and not the folks who live under its umbrella.
This becomes a blind spot.
Often one of convenience.
For when you literally see the actions, it will require you to make changes.
Another form of denial to concentrate on the label and be faithful to it, rather than truly see who is wearing it
People get more insulted when they see someone disrespect the president, than when the president does something disrespectful.
Same goes for parents.
My actions of estrangement are more often questioned than why I left my family.
Or, it is asked, "when will you 'forgive' (return). Like it was me with the problem in the first place.
Seldom are the probing questions about my parents and how they lost their title.
I believe most would rather see the title, and believe in a world that isn't there, than to see reality of what is.
Believing in titles allows us to have a gentle kind world.
Dad, sounds so harmless.
Being free to see, brings respect back to the titles.
Some folks are just not qualified to wear them.
Do we still have to respect them, when they don't fit the title?
Can we keep our respect for the title and let the person's truth allow us the option to respect or not respect them?
Being free to chose who we respect, is a freedom.
A title doesn't hold the power for automatic respect. We certainly do not want to be victims of the title and without a choice.
Respect is earned by the individual.
By how they act.
Who I respect is up to me.
Respecting someone who is unworthy, is denial of their truth, and it shows disrespect to you.
Denial of your own truth and feelings.
I respect the truth over titles.
