The Courtesy We Owe Each Other…

In the legal world, there’s a word — Esquire.

It’s not just a job title.

It’s a courtesy.

A way of placing respect right alongside someone’s name.

The world doesn’t run on Esquire, but it does run on something like it.

Because every day, whether we notice or not, we are quietly naming people in our hearts.

We give them titles, labels, descriptions — some out loud, some in silence.

Sometimes, we hand out names like The One Who Hurt Me or The Stranger I Don’t Have Time For.

But other times — when we’re at our best — we offer something more generous:

The Friend Who Held Me Together

The Neighbor Who Looks Out for Everyone

The Teacher Who Believed in Me Before I Believed in Myself.

You don’t have to pass a bar exam to deserve honor.

You don’t have to earn a certain salary, live in a certain neighborhood, or hold a certain position to be worthy of dignity.

Sometimes the person who most needs the courtesy of respect is the one who’s just trying to make it through the day without falling apart.

And maybe that’s the point —

To live as if every name we speak could be a crown.

To choose words that lift, even when the world makes it easy to tear down.

To give titles to people not based on their status, but on the humanity they carry.

Because every soul you meet is carrying a story you can’t see.

And the way you address them — the kindness or coldness in your voice, the patience or hurry in your eyes — becomes a part of that story.

You can give someone less.

Or you can give them the courtesy they deserve, even if they don’t expect it.

Even if they’ve forgotten they’re worth it.

In the end, you don’t need Esquire after your name to leave the world better.

You just need the courage to place invisible titles of honor on the people around you.

Because sometimes the smallest courtesy can change the way someone carries their own name.

Until next time,