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I asked my students to write about someone they respect. Most of them wrote about their parents, but I had to look the word up and write the definition down before I wrote. It opened my eyes to the meaning of a word we use so often in school. According to Webster, respect means: to consider worth of high regard, to regard highly and prize accordingly. So in that sense, what I respect relates to what I value, and when I see those traits that I value in others, I respect them.

Then I had to ask myself what I value or esteem: honesty, a strong work ethic, integrity, creativity, graciousness, a willingness to give back, to help others, and to lift up among other things. This finally brought me to writing about someone I respect-and there are many!

I have a lot of respect for our neighbor and friends, Marlin and Sharon. They have lived their lives with integrity, worked hard for what they have, and they always take the time to help others. They will drop what they are doing to sit and have coffee most anytime we

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happen down their driveway. They are generous to all and live their faith in action everyday.

Even though they are ten miles away, I know that if I needed help, one or both of them would drive over. They often call to make sure I’m okay when my husband is on the road or the weather is bad, or to see if we are ready to go out for pizza and some ice-cream. We recently celebrated our first anniversary with them. I hope to be like them when I grow up.