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Personal Responsibility
by Small Thunder
While I love Spring and Summer, I have always enjoyed cooler weather best of all. Fall and Winter are my favorite seasons. It is a time to slow down and go within, a time for introspection. As in the days of old, it is a time to come inside by the fire and to reflect on the past year and to contemplate the one to come.
While we contemplate the year to come, let's continue to look at how we can make a better place of the world we live in. What have we really done to better ourselves and our Mother Earth? What can we do in the coming days, weeks, months and years? Are we really doing something to make a difference, or are we only thinking about it and giving it lip service? We've all heard all the talk and buzz words about Earth Awareness and planetary healing over the past years and if you are like me, you're probably tired of hearing empty words without any action. We really need to look at what these words really mean in our daily lives. Words are like a lot of other things, they are only wind from our mouths unless they are followed by action. And action is useless without direction.
Many changes are happening here on Mother Earth in both the physical and spiritual planes. It is necessary for the healing of our Mother Earth... and for ourselves if we are willing to change the way we do and view things. We must remove our human arrogance. If we realize just one thing... we must remember that there is no Great Law that says humans have to survive these changes. If we do or don't, it is a choice that is ours alone. We forget that everything on this Earth could easily continue without the human race, most likely even better without us. Why? Because we're the ones who caused most of this mess whether we're willing to admit it or not. The balance is delicate. Without even a few things we could not survive, and as a whole we are destroying almost everything at a very alarming rate.
It is past time to work hard to make necessary changes for our survival and maybe in the process lessen the severity of the tremendous changes... if we do or don't the changes will be made for us, ready or not. We won't be able to say, "Please wait Mother Earth, I'm not ready!" It is past time for us to "Walk Our Talk". There are many who are, but as a whole, we still have a long way to go. We all have lofty ideals and goals, and it's time to start putting them into action. Accomplishing those ideals and goals begin with groundwork, the very basic "get your hands dirty" type of responsibilities. We've got to do things. We can't pray everything into existence. Even prayer takes effort followed by action.
We can be consciously responsible in each and every thing we do, whether it involves recycling a can or newspaper, raising our own food, lowering the thermostat, turning off lights when not in use, helping friends and neighbors, sponsoring help programs or just plain telling the truth.
We live in a "blame someone else" type of society and it seems to be getting worse. Very few people are willing to take responsibility for their lives, words or deeds. How is it that anyone else can be responsible for our actions, both immediate and long term? They're not! When we do something, we need to think of the effect those actions will have, both seen and unseen, has or will have on all things. Responsibility is not an "out of sight, out of mind" situation. Nor is it a convenience thing. We will all have to pay in some manner for individual irresponsible actions.
In our society it seems perfectly acceptable to stretch the truth or to tell a "little" lie and still not be considered a liar. And it seems perfectly acceptable to be not quite honest and still not be considered dishonest. And it seems that almost everyone has some "excuse" for not standing by their responsibilities. So... when a compromised standard becomes the "standard" on which morals are based, the whole value system is weakened and opens the door for further lowering of those standards.
What do truth, honesty and integrity really mean? Surely not today's definition of the words. The reality is that the meanings can't be altered. If the truth is stretched, then it is no longer the truth. If honesty is in the least compromised, then it is no longer honest. Without truth, honesty and responsibility, there is no integrity. You simply can't be half-way pregnant! So we must speak the truth, do as we say we will and let no small temporary gain compromise either. Either you are or are not. Either you do or do not. In reality, there is no in between. Truth always comes out in the end.
We usually give our trust to someone we meet. Why not? We have no reason to feel otherwise. But once that person lies to us or is dishonest about something , you know then that they have the potential to do it again. Then we're hesitant to trust them, right? Once that trust is tarnished, it takes a long time, hard work and honesty to regain that trust. But in all probability, the trust that is regained will never be as strong as it was in the beginning.
Now, things do happen that can prevent one from following up on a commitment. This is all the more reason to be truthful and let the person know that something has come up. It's much better than using some convenient excuse.
Where can we begin? We can begin by being honest with ourselves. Only by being honest with ourselves can we see the true needs of others and ourselves. Then we are no longer blinded by false truths and can get to the real needs that should be attended.
Government, industry and special interests have spent billions of dollars and man-hours creating and delivering believable lies and arguments in order to fool the public while doing their underhanded deeds that are destroying the Earth and our children's future. When governmental and societal deception is so rampant, how do we know what is real? That can be a difficult question. Perhaps common sense can prevail in this man-made world which is a reality that functions on paper anyway. If it isn't life affirming, then don't believe it.
It is my hope that all people can be prepared for whatever changes our Creator and Mother Earth have planned for the future. The preparation should perhaps be in the form in which our heart guides us toward. In our lives, our Creator deals with us as individuals. Let's follow our inner voice and not someone else's standards.
It is good to live in these times when one knows that one can make a difference and can witness the powerful restoring of Mother Earth. Perhaps mankind will also be restored and can begin anew with love in his/her for all creation.
Copyright (c) 1994-1999 by Small Thunder. This article may not be reproduced without prior written permission from the author.