My daughter was rude to our domestic help. I have never given them the leverage to treat anyone with disrespect because they are small. The need to learn to respect everyone with respect right from the beginning. The lady was feeling bad but on the face was saying, didi it’s okay. She is small. So I asked my daughter to apologize and she did. When we went inside, I told her, if you feel bad, you go and hug your dad and mom. If the lady in discussion feels bad, whom would she hug? Who has given us any right to disrespect her? At our home, no one raises voice at support staff. She works here and takes money for that. We have no right to disrespect her. She realized. Next day, we went to temple and she saw slum people using abusive language. She asked me, why the uncle is using bad words and I told her because no one could tell them on time, how to use nice words. When we treat people nicely, it refelcts who we are.
It reminds me of a story. A king’s procession was crossing a road where an old man was sitting in the middle of the road. First a Sepoy went and authoritatively, asked who are you, don’t you know you shall not sit here like this. KIng has to pass, get up fast. The old man does not buzz from there. He asks the Sepoy, who are you and the Sepoy says, I am a Sepoy. The old man says, you are like this, that’s why you are a sepoy. Then the kings advisor comes. He asks with respect, gentleman, would you be kind to move, the king has to pass with his procession. To this the old man looks at him and asks the same question. The advisor replies and the old man gives the same reply. But still he does not move. Then the king comes. The king, folds his hands, bends down and says, gentleman, can I help you, is there a reason, you are sitting here? Can I drop you somewhere? The old man looks up and asks the same question and king says, I am the king. The old man smiles and says, that’s why you are a king.
How we treat people is a reflection of our character, not theirs. We need to learn to treat everyone with love and respect. There is no one small or big in this world. Everyone is an equal creation of God. Everyone deserves equal respect. I wonder, if God himself comes down, how would he treat people? I guess with so much love that we would melt with that. Then who are we treat anyone with less respect?
