I believe that respect is the key to having healthy relationships: respect will always make a relationship with your family, friends, significant others, or the general public stronger.

When I visited my fiancé in Germany I saw many types of disrespect. The married guys would go out to clubs and bring back girls. We went out on a sunny day and walked through the streets of Nuremberg. The sun was beating down on our face and reflecting off the rooftops. The streets were clean and the buildings were so colorful it looked like a picture out of a child’s storybook. Then the guys threw their garbage on the ground instead of walking to the enormous metallic garbage can that was four feet in front of them. My fiancé and I discussed the disrespect that was being demonstrated by other soldiers and decided to respect others and ourselves to maintain our relationships healthy.

Families should have a certain level of respect which many families lack. If families respect each other then communication will become easier. This would lead to families arguing less and trying to see the other member’s point of view because we’d respect each other’s ideas. This would then lead to a happier family.

Friendships also require respect. Friends are people who we can trust and talk to without being judged. We must realize that all people are different and have different ideas or wants. Friend should respect one another’s beliefs and if a friend tells another something in confidence then that friend should respect the wish of secrecy.

Friendships may often lead to romantic relationships so those too are based around respect. We must respect our significant other and ourselves. We must respect our body and minds and know if someone is good for us. If things are not working out respect yourself and end the relationship. If it’s working out respect the other person by taking into consideration what they may feel when you do things and how you’d feel if they did the same things.

Respect shouldn’t only be aimed toward people but also towards nature and other’s property. It’s not fair to throw garbage on the floor because you’re too lazy to walk a few feet to the garbage can. Also if someone disrespects you don’t do the same to him or her. Be the bigger person and walk away. There’s no reason to damage people or their belongings.

Clearly respect’s all that’s needed to earn the respect of people around us. It’s like running a marathon. It’s difficult especially when you feel the blazing heat beating down on your face and with each step you feel the energy being lost through the bottom of your feet. The same goes with respect at times it’ll be difficult, but all we end is to remember that respect will make us better people. And in return it will improve our relationships and make them strong, so don’t quit halfway through.