Growing up in a blended family taught me to see things as they are without any preconceived notions. As a child raised in a Christian household, I learned the importance of distinguishing between right and wrong. I was also taught to respect my elders and all those in authority over me. However, there are people who misunderstand the concept of respecting authority and assume that it means blindly following without questioning, like a sheep being led to slaughter. I learned from an early age to work hard, take care of my responsibilities, and attend church.

For the most part, that has been true. But, I have always felt an emptiness deep inside of me. It's interesting to note that no one in my family has served in the armed forces or as a first responder, yet I have always had a deep respect and admiration for these individuals, though I'm not entirely sure where those feelings came from. As I grew older, I realized the importance of what I was taught, as well as what I missed.

As a parent of five amazing children, I tried to provide them with what I had and the things I missed while growing up. However, only they can answer the question of how well I did. In my second career working in public education for almost 18 years now, I have witnessed firsthand the lack of respect for more than just the elderly and those in authority. In my opinion, many individuals have not learned how to respect themselves, let alone others. It deeply concerns and saddens me to see this. It is time for parents to take responsibility and instill respect in their children, for kids to learn the value of respect, and for America to take its place as the best of the best.