Your Community. Your Business.
Please tell me what's a Three R Family?
Imagine a hypothetical letter from a grandfather to a grandson explaining the facts of life. The meaningful stuff we all think we're teaching our children and grandchildren by living our life as well as we can. My Papa use to say, "be the best you can." I was suppose to understand what that meant. He was honest, hardworking, and loyal. I guess I was expected to pick that up by seeing his behavior. He needed to be a little more specific.
I wish he had written this letter to me when I was ten. It might have helped some of my "not so great" behaviors and certainly some unrealistic expectations of what others should do.
Dear Charlie,
The three R's, something to think about...
What does it mean to live by the three R's; Respect, Responsibility, and Reciprocity?
RESPECT for myself and others. Great "one liners" from memories, spoken by parents, grandparents and mentors. "If I want to be me, I have to let others be them." "Being different from me doesn't make you mad or bad, it just makes you unique, special and you." How do I live RESPECT? I guess it starts with looking after my physical, emotional and intellectual needs. Gosh, could it be that simple! I must look after washing, feeding, clothing and housing myself. If you respect something you protect and care for it! We humans need physical exercise and values to believe in. Our parents provide it until we're big enough to do it ourselves. "Use it or lose it", another family mantra.
I must be RESPONSIBLE, in order to do RESPECT. Responsible for all I think and all I do. I don't have to be responsible for everyone else. How the dickens do I learn to be discerning and figure out where my responsibility rests and where I'm letting myself be used. There will always be people out there who want to use your body, your brains, your feelings, for their good not for yours. So part of responsibility is learning to evaluate each situation. Is this situation friendly or dangerous to my general health? Do I have all the facts?
I have to have some earning power; some saleable skill; something to barter in my society. The social skills that allow me to live and work well with other people. I need to care and be cared for; I need to belong to something.
RECIPROCITY, is a fancy word for "give where you get." If Mrs. Jones feeds you, it behooves you to give her RESPECT, to be RESPONSIBLE for good quality work if she hires you. It makes sense to treat her well.
I worked hard to live the Three R's and to teach them to your mother.
I saw you bully a smaller boy at the arena. Thought about it and figured I best remind you that you are part of a Three R family. Love Grandpa
Every family has a set of rules and regulations they live by. Make sure your attitudes and beliefs are printed in big letters on the people you love.
Being a Three R family is a good thing.
September, 2010
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