In The 'Hour Late' (Ben Banks 1)

In The Hour Late

A weekly blog intended to share and preserve the most valued life lessons from the minds of the most experienced among us. The "hour late" represents the later stages of life. I will be speaking with people in their 70's and older, to find out what they think is important and worth passing on to future generations.

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Mr. Banks was always one of the most welcomed faces when I was in high school. The following will help you to understand why.

I don't feel like we should put any one person above another person. I always tried teaching this way, and I hope I always came across this way to my students. I always attempted to be thought of as their equal.

I once asked a student, 'who is the smartest person in this class?' The student said, 'Um well you are!' I said 'Oh no, I have learned more things because I'm older and have studied longer, but I am not likely the smartest person here. We are all in this together as equals. Some of you will get grades more easily than others, and some of you will have to study harder, but we are all still equals.'

I gave my classes total respect, and I expected to get it back, and I generally got it. If there is anything I could pass on to people its respect everybody, treat everybody like your equal. That includes treating yourself with respect, don't treat yourself like you're less than somebody else. That's like an inferiority complex, and I feel like that is very damaging. If you treat yourself as an equal to everybody else they are as good as you are, and you are as good as them.

It is amazing how many people know to be respectful to everyone around them, but, so very often lack respect for themselves.

I am not necessarily talking about physically harming oneself, but merely thinking about yourself as less than another person because of what they have or have done. Seeing an accomplished individual and thinking that they are better than you because they have more wealth, possessions, and public admiration is a dangerous form of self-disrespect.

Scrolling through social media and comparing your body to the bodies of fitness models and athletes will never lead to a feeling of satisfaction. Comparisons only result in disappointment and an overwhelming feeling that you are not where you need to be.

We must learn to respect ourselves by accepting that where we are at in life is where we are supposed to be. All of us must do our best to move forward every day, even if ever so slightly.

Name: Ben Banks
Born: 1943. Tuscarawas County, Ohio
Roles: Father, Grand Father, Husband, Educator, Bell Ringer