Respect

I've been reading a book lately about the Mafia and I find myself both appalled and impressed by them. The crime and the killing were terrible, but what impressed me was the tradition and protocol within the organization. In an odd sort of way, the loyalty and respect demonstrated by the old school mafioso is something we rarely see today.

Respecting each other seems to have fallen by the wayside. The emphasis frequently is on self only. The only way to be respected is to practice respecting others, even those we don't particularly like or agree with.

Who would have thought you could learn admirable behavior from someone like the Mafia. I guess God can work through everyone. Who are we to question?