Respect is one of life's greatest treasures. I mean, what does it

Marilyn Monroe, a figure both adored and misunderstood, once uttered words that shine brighter than jewels: “Respect is one of life’s greatest treasures. I mean, what does it all add up to if you don’t have that?” This saying, born from the lips of one who knew the glories of fame and the loneliness behind it, is no idle phrase. It is the distilled wisdom of a woman who had tasted admiration but hungered for something deeper—respect.

For what is wealth, beauty, or fame without respect? These things glitter but vanish like mist in the morning sun. Respect is different: it is the recognition of one’s dignity, the acknowledgment of worth that cannot be bought or sold. Respect is the soil in which trust, love, and peace take root. Without it, even the most lavish life collapses into emptiness. Monroe’s words cut through illusion: what use is all the world’s applause if it is not joined with honor?

The ancients knew this truth. The Greeks spoke of time, the honor and respect due to each person, as greater than gold. The Roman statesman Cicero declared that the respect of one’s peers was a prize far above riches. And Confucius, teaching in the East, said that respect between people is the root of harmony in family and nation alike. Monroe, though separated from these sages by centuries, spoke with the same spirit: respect is not an ornament of life, but its cornerstone.

Consider the story of Frederick Douglass. Born into slavery, he was denied everything—freedom, wealth, education. Yet what he longed for most was not merely escape from bondage, but the restoration of his dignity, the respect owed to every human soul. When he rose to become an orator, author, and statesman, his power was not in his fame but in the respect he commanded, a respect that endured long after his life had ended. His story proves Monroe’s point: without respect, life is shackled; with it, life becomes a treasure beyond measure.

Monroe herself lived this paradox. To the world, she was beauty incarnate, a symbol of glamour and desire. Yet she often spoke of the pain of being admired without being respected, of being desired without being understood. She longed not merely for attention, but for recognition of her intelligence, her depth, her humanity. In her voice we hear the cry of all who are seen outwardly yet unseen within: without respect, even the brightest spotlight grows cold.

O children of tomorrow, remember this lesson well: respect is the true measure of a life. It is what binds families, sustains friendships, builds communities, and strengthens nations. It is not granted by flattery, nor earned by power, but by living with integrity and granting the same dignity to others. Without it, all success turns hollow; with it, even the humblest life glows with honor.

The lesson is clear: if you wish to live a life of worth, seek not only applause, nor riches, nor fleeting admiration. Seek respect, and give it in equal measure. Respect yourself by living with honesty. Respect others by listening, by showing kindness, by honoring their humanity. In doing so, you will find that life, no matter its trials, adds up to something noble and enduring.

Thus, let Monroe’s words echo across the generations: “Respect is one of life’s greatest treasures.” Treasure it, protect it, and give it freely. For in the end, it is not beauty, not fame, not fortune that crowns a life with meaning, but the respect you earn and the respect you give. This is the wealth that neither time nor death can take away.