An open letter to everyone around me

Dear all

It’s has been a while since I wrote something, but as I sat down through out the day, I felt an urge to write to you concerning a very sensitive subject. It is a topic that most of us try to avoid and the young don’t want to hear about. Allow me to write this open letter about self respect.

How amazing it is that in as much as love for the self is so abundant, there is a virtue that is virtually lacking in people and that is self respect. The Oxford dictionary defines self respect as a feeling of not being ashamed of oneself, in vernacular “kuzviremekedza” or “kuzvibata.”

The self comprises of body, soul and spirit and with that in mind, one can simply say that self respect is making sure that we do not harm our bodies, souls and spirits.

Respect for the body

Being an unapologetic Christian I will always share scriptures from the Bible. 1Corinthians 6 vs 19-20 reads, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” If we had respect for the body, do you believe that we would drag ourselves into unnecessary illnesses like lung cancer, madness, liver problems and even HIV/AIDS through smoking, taking drugs, drinking excessively and prostitution respectively. I can just wonder!

Respect for the spirit and soul

The still little voice which speaks inside of us. Our conscience others may call it. The voice which tells us it is wrong to steal. The very same voice which tells us not to lie. It’s the still little voice which tells us not to commit adultery. If we had respect for the still little voice, do you believe there would be crime in the world? Would we have so many broken homes and friendships? I still wonder. The Bible says in Mark 12 vs 31, ” Love your neighbour as you love yourself.” How can I say I love myself if I don’t respect the spirit and soul? How can I love my neighbour if I do not love myself? How then can I say I am a Christian if I do not love myself? All these questions will remain unanswered as long as respect for the self continues not to exist.

I hope I find you all well? And I really hope I have managed to reach out to a person or more. Let me conclude by saying, Respect yourself even as you respect others and more than you would want to be respected. And believe me it is only self respect that can bring sanity to the world in which we live in.

Yours truly

Emma Rutendo Makozho