I woke up this morning.
When I stepped out of bed, my foot landed on something sharp. I decided to not sue someone for making something sharp that I could step on. I did not go to the doctor to have the item removed, I just pulled it out with my fingers. I did not feel that the carpet might have too many hidden crevasses that might harbor something that can hurt me. I did not look for someone or something to blame.
During breakfast, I bit down on something hard in my breakfast burrito. I did not call the manufacturer and demand free burritos for life just because I was surprised and bit my tongue.
On my way to my truck, I slipped on some ice and fell on my ass. It never occurred to me to try to blame someone for freezing conditions or a lack of snow removal.
I do not expect someone else to look out for my welfare all the time. I accept that each and every day has in it risks that I will have to take and that it is MY responsibility to look out for myself. It is not yours, the government’s, the manufacturer of the crayon that I just ate, or the cute waitress that spilled hot coffee on me when she stumbled on a fork that some random kid dropped on the floor.
I think that it is time that we all learn to take responsibility for our own actions; good, bad, or indifferent. It is time we all learned that placing blame elsewhere is not really getting anything done.
Let’s face it folks; SHIT HAPPENS!
I could have looked down before I placed my foot on the floor. I could have been paying more attention when I was eating that burrito. I could have walked around the icy patch. I could have made the choice to not eat that crayon. (BTW They DON’T taste as good as they look!)
When we as Americans start placing responsibility where it actually belongs, we will begin to become a society of strong individuals and therefore a stronger society.
Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence. Napoleon Bonaparte
