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I’ve been thinking lately that we have a critical shortage of a particular commodity in our country. This shortage has far reaching consequences and radically deteriorates our quality of life. It would not be too far fetched to say that this situation harms our health and shortens our life spans. Our world would be far brighter, safer, and more comfortable if we only had more of it.

What is it? What would it take to get more and how much would it cost? I’m talking here about the shortage of respect in our culture. It takes so many forms and is so pervasive that it might be difficult to see at first, but take a look.

First and foremost, most of us don’t respect ourselves or our bodies. We have these remarkable vehicles in which to navigate our world, and we don’t give them nearly the consideration they deserve. We know we need fresh air, exercise, and more sleep. We know we should eat more fruit and vegetables and fewer refined foods, yet this is not what we generally do. We eat whatever we feel like, prop ourselves with caffeine, and resign ourselves to taking pills when things go bad.

The way we treat each other leaves a lot to be desired. While driving, many of us criticize those we perceive to be in our way, and grab the unfair advantage whenever possible. We talk on the phone while being served by others, or are served by others as they’re talking on the phone. It’s not unusual to see men walking in front of their wives, not even noticing if they’re trailing behind, or parents talking at their children, or ignoring them altogether. We’ve come to expect telemarketing calls at all hours of the day and night, while not taking it for granted that the person in front of us will hold open a door. When others make mistakes, we’re far more likely to resort to anger than we are to calmly work for an agreeable fix. That we allow poverty to grow in this rich nation shows no regard for the less fortunate.

We’ve become a gotcha nation, waiting to pounce on public and not so public figures when they step out of line, misspeak, or act in ways we don’t approve. We see this in the punitive policies in both our schools and our criminal codes, the attention we give to young celebrities when behaving badly, and our personal criticism of political leaders and their verbal assaults on each other.

In this age of plenty, we have lots of stuff that we don’t need or appreciate. How often have you given away things with packaging unopened or with price tags still affixed? We want things so badly, and when we get them we hardly give them a thought. Meanwhile we’re running out of space for the things we throw out.

It’s clear from our foreign and trade policies that we lack respect for the rest of the world, and the way we treat our environment shows clear disrespect for our planet. We’ve gotten so that we hold nature herself in contempt, given the way we grow our food, raise our animals, and handle our healthcare.

This pervasive disrespect takes a toll on us physically, psychologically, and spiritually. It’s fortunate indeed that we can begin turn it around immediately, often with very little cost. All we need to do is move through our days with the consciousness that every person, place, and thing deserves to be treated respectfully, and begin to use our resources and adapt our habits in ways that promote the welfare of all.