Wasn't Me

Son: "Momma, I don't WANT a time out!"Mom: "Well, then I guess you shouldn't have thrown the football in the house."
Son:  "But I didn't MEAN to break anything.  It was an accident."
Mom:  "You need to understand and learn that everything you do has consequences.  That might help you stay out of trouble."
Son:  "I don't even like consequences!"

     We often don't think of the consequences of any of our actions, let alone our decisions.  Yesterday I spoke about thinking for ourselves and making our own decisions.  To be truthful, yesterday's blog took me a great deal of time to finish because my mind kept focusing on how little we think about the consequences of our actions.  My children frequently acuse me of over analyzing everything but how else am I going to know what to do?  Why don't we focus more on the consequences of our actions? 
     Simply put, the reason many do not think about the consequences of their actions is because there are no consequences.  No, you read that correctly, there are no consequences.  Why are there no consequences?  Easy, we no longer value or have personal responsibility.  The victim mentality has taken over and there are no signs of it stopping.  Think about it.  Everyone is the victim and therefore can not be held responsible for what they do.  This doesn't just happen in a court of law or with small children.  It is a mentality that has taken over our country and our culture. 
     When was the last time you heard someone take responsibility for their actions and accept the consequences without argument.  I promise you it doesn't happen in my house.  Even in the smallest of things.  Yet if we don't focus on personal responsibility and understanding the consequences of our actions who will? 

“Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else.”

-Les Brown

     Fortunately, this is an easy fix.  We just have to once again accept responsibility for our actions.  This MAY make for some unpleasant consequences but in the end it is the only way.  You will earn the respect of others by doing the right thing -- no matter how unpopular or unusual.  Understand that while there are a great many things we can not control, you can control your reaction to these things as well as responsibility for your part in it.  The blame game helps no one (not even politicians). 

“Man must cease attributing his problems to his environment, and learn again to exercise his will – his personal responsibility.”

                                                                                                                          -Albert Schweitzer

    Let's be proactive.  We can change the direction of our individual lives, our country and our culture by accepting responsibility for what we have done and make better choices for tomorrow.  The consequences of what we have done will never outweigh the hope and promise of our future.