RESPECTING OTHERS: WE ARE PROFESSIONALS, REMEMBER

I HAD an incident recently where I had to tell drinking people to turn their radio/stereo off at 3am.

I said: “We are adults and must remember that your noise will disturb children and adults that are sleeping.

“School children who are disturbed at night will not perform well in school. They will feel sleepy. And adults and parents who disturb others are part of the problem of children not learning well in school.

“Workers who are disturbed will not be performing 100% at work during the day.

“And you (drinking folks) will be part of the problem in reducing their productivity at the workplace.”

I told the friend “we are professionals and know better”.

We ought to be better models in the community.

That reminded me of incidents in the village twenty years ago when I would urge my older relatives who talk big and loud about “respect” to switch off their stereos and take their party to the road 40m away or to the river.

Yes, they talk about respect but when they drink, they do not respect the rights of others to quietness and peace – the young, the old, the school children, the workers, in fact, everyone!

I had to tell the friend that our talk about “respect” means nothing if we cannot show it.

I hope we all learn.

(NB. When I was fortunate to live in my own apartment or house in my career as a teacher, I call my home the “Haven of Rest”. And that is what good homes should be.)