The law of responsibility is about taking ownership for everything that happens in our lives. In as much as there are a myriad of ways through which people attempt to shirk responsibility, it is incumbent upon us to come to the realization that there is no escape route. The sooner we realize this the better for karma serves the role of ensuring that the price of our action is ultimately paid regardless of how long it takes. A drunken stupor, procrastination or travel around the globe may provide temporary reprieve. However, lack of personal accountability is as meaningless as an ashtray on a motorbike. Therefore, as Abraham Lincoln once said you cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today, this ought to guide our thought pattern as we navigate through life.
Not much conversation takes place in public transport. This was the case one day while I was heading to town. All else was deftly quiet and you could hear crickets chirping as the vehicle snaked through the traffic. A preacher had just stepped out empty handed after completing his long, two minute sermon. No sooner had he left, than the lady who sat next to me received a phone call. For starters, the ringtone was a tad awkward and she let it ring for longer than necessary. Expected something conservative for someone her age. Be that as it may, she touched base and informed her friend that she had just walked out unscathed from a wreck earlier on in the day. Her car was pretty damaged.
When the person on the other end of the line got wind of the incident, she made reference to the devil and was abruptly cut off. In her rejoinder, the lady stated that the devil did not have anything to do with it. In any case, she put the blame squarely on her own shoulders and beat herself up for having been careless as well as distracted as she navigated the bend. The entire conversation was on speaker phone. It is my hope and prayer that no one from her insurance company eavesdropped on the conversation as I’m sure they would be irked by the fact that she took personal responsibility for her actions. If on the other hand she has deep pockets and is willing to pay for the damages as well then more power to her. Otherwise, this is one scenario whereby man made law is at odds with natural laws. Nonetheless, I walked out of there having learnt a thing or two about responsibility and whichever way it goes for her, she’s on the right track. Many a time, people are quick to heap blame on others including the devil for things we have a full dominion over.
Not too long thereafter, on a lazy afternoon I was forced to seek refuge from the sweltering heat and as I sat on the outdoor bench whiling away the time, I scrolled through my phone. One correspondence piqued my interest. A high ranking member of an organization implored upon his employees to own up for mistakes and provide their side of the story before an in depth investigation is conducted. A complaint had been lodged by an unnamed individual who alleged that two members of staff had attempted to reap where they had not sown. Not used to not getting their way led them to resort to high handed tactics which allegedly infringed on the accuser’s rights. To strengthen my belief in humanity, it didn’t take long for someone to own up. In as much as their account was as different as day and night, the mustered courage speaks volumes. They either felt their goose was cooked or there was a larger force at play in that the evidence against them was flimsy at best. The latter seems plausible and they took the high road of taking ownership of their actions. I am more than certain that members of the law profession have a contrary opinion.
I once received a soft landing in high school courtesy of an ownership decision I took. We were under firm instructions to remain glued to our seats. However, when the teacher took a short hiatus from monitoring us, the devil convinced me to dash across the room to get an item from a friend. From his vantage point outside the classroom, he caught a glimpse of movement but he couldn’t make out who the person was. No sooner had I settled back in than the door flew open and he demanded to know the identity of the disobedient student. There was brief silence and all eyes were fixated upon me. In the few seconds of silence, I contemplated on what to do and blamed the devil but there was no way out. The teacher could only visualize me and not the devil. Therefore, any feeble attempt of finding a scapegoat fell flat on its face. Not one to easily get in trouble was my only saving grace. I stood up and was motioned to leave the room for a sound thrashing. Upon stepping out, he told me to get back inside and added that I must have had a valid reason for doing what I did. I nodded in agreement and managed to escape the thrashing by a whisker. It was a bittersweet moment but I was pleased about the outcome. In closing, there is an African proverb that states when bad luck chooses you as a companion, even a ripe banana can remove your teeth.
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