Respecting_Elders

One of the aspects of my personality that I intuitively developed as a result of growing up inside my family is Respecting Our Elders. Respecting our elders, and everyone else, just comes natural to me, because when I was just a little girl, I was taught that I must always respect my elders and if I didn't, I'd get a punished by my parents. As I grew up, I came to realize the right meaning of the expression, "respect your elders," and I agree fully with my parent’s teachings. I not only respect my elders, but I respected everyone around me.I think it is important to respect our elders because they have experienced life and gone through a lot more than we have. One of the important old saying , that has to be followed in my culture is “ First Respect you mother , Secondly respect your father, Thirdly Respect you teacher and Lastly respect your God” This saying is very important , and must be followed as I grew up . I respect my parents because they are the ones that brought me in this world and have taken care of me until I was able to take care of myself. I personally have a lot of respect for my parents because they did a lot for me over the years. I wouldn't have the education without them. They got me where I am today and I am sure it wasn't easy for them. I believe they deserve thanks for everything they have done for me and thus deserve my respect. I think it is important to understand what respect is and understand what your elders have gone through to get where we are today. I think everyone deserves the same amount of respect unless given a reason to be disrespected. Another example is teacher’s .Teachers make so many sacrifices for their students, yet they are not given the action that they deserve. If all young people that learn from their elders to treat teachers with the kindness and respect they deserved, they would be more productive in their studies, learn how to be better people in the outside world, and become fine examples and role models for other young people. My parents and my culture always thought us that teachers were defined as God, because we are benefiting education from them. By respecting a teacher, everyone would be best in their schoolwork. Our future is greatly depended on what we learn in school. When a student respects their teacher, the teacher’s would have more care to educate the student, and the student would also gain more knowledge. The students that respect their teachers learn more, and in result, have a better and brighter future. Some may think that only the one respecting their teacher will benefit, but the whole world benefits as well. Children follow what their elders do. If we act respectful towards them, the younger ones will imitate our acts of kindness. In order to pass on good habits to all generations, we must demonstrate those good habits to young people. I was brought up in a setting where I live in a joined family. I had my father’s siblings living with us and my grandparents. I lived with a big family throughout my whole life. In my joined family my grandparents have been mostly valued for their knowledge and advice as they have already been through with the challenges of bringing up their own family. My family follows a patriarchal model with all the sons’ families staying in the same house and the daughters that marry become part of their husband’s family and are no longer part of their own. In a patriarchal family the oldest male has to make economic and social decisions for the whole family,( in my family my dad is the oldest male). All wages are shared and all property is held jointly. My father owns a restaurant and the other family members work in it. My mom usually controls decisions involving the kitchen and taking care of the children. My grandparents are generally obeyed, valued, treated with respect and dignity by my family and community members. At this old age ,it’s their time to relax, , pray, enjoy spending time with the grandchildren, and not worry about running the household or about finances because the oldest son is now in charge of the finances and family matters. An even adult like my father still continues to consult his parents on most of the important aspects of life. My family portrays values like nonviolence, respect for elders, and family bondage .With the great influence of the western world, it has become very hard for my parents to try and keep these values, for the younger generation like me and it is always in a sense of conflict between the values that they have and the values that I have .This is something that all parents should teach in their children because it is a form of discipline. Even though my family and I have accepted modern mean of living, improved our lifestyle, our values and beliefs it still remain the same. A person can change his way of clothing, way of eating and living but the rich values in a person will always remain unchanged because they are deeply rooted within our hearts, mind , body and soul which we get from our culture. I was born in a middle class Sri-Lankan family. Since the age I got to understand this world I saw my parents working hard all day and night, because they were immigrated from Sri-lanka to Canada. I learned at a very young age the struggles that my parents faced. I was good in studies from childhood and that was the biggest thing my parents were proud of. My dad would always say that he would always give my brother and I the best education, and we shouldn’t struggle as he did in his country. My father wanted to become a doctor but could not make his dream true, because my grandfather didn't provide him money to get admission. My father then left his studies, to come to Canada and opened a restaurant. My father never forced me for any specific thing. He wanted me to do the things in which I was interested. Taking each moment as a learning experience, I learned that I am grateful to have my parents, and I should respect them! In conclusion, our elders have very obviously lived longer and seen more than we have. We should be looking for ways to learn something new every day. Not only our elders but, everyone we come in contact with can teach us something. Respecting our elders or anyone, is a lesson that is taught from my family. All people are alike and respecting one another is ones responsibility. Right from my early days of childhood I was taught to help one another when they are sad and angry. My family thought me to increase and distribute joy and happiness and share sadness and pain. The inescapable fact in life is that, one-day, we will all become an elder .However, the importance of respecting elders shouldn’t just to be for that reason. We should give respect to elders for a many reasons. Children must be taught how to behave from a very early age. Teaching them manners should first begin at a home. Teachers are the second parents to children and must carry out the same assignment in the classrooms. And as a result we can develop teamwork and better living among ourselves and afterwards make this world a better place to live in.