Tuesday, March 22, 2022
In the traditional understanding of the word responsibility, you may think of your duties or obligations – things you must do as part of your life or your job. But life calls us to a deeper kind responsibility. In the word responsibility therein lies an important clue – the root word, “response.”
A response is an answer to a question. The question life wants to know is, “How will you respond to this day?” or better yet, “How will you respond to the challenges of this day?” How would your life be different if you responded neutrally to all that you witness today, or that you responded with unconditional love? How would your life be different, if you didn’t react to bothersome thoughts, or to every tiny, incidental occurrence, especially those beyond your control? To everything, you can respond with loving-kindness, if you choose. When you accept this, you open doors to new levels of abundance.
Life allows you to express yourself as you wish. But so much more satisfaction will come, if you respond gently; if you respond compassionately (especially to people); if you respond respectfully; or if you respond eagerly. Your responsibility is to respond to what and to who comes your way, but moreover to carefully watch how you respond. Your expression (your response) can always be better. Improve your response, and improve your life. Be an expressive creature, but one that responds lovingly, creatively, and peacefully to all there is, even if you don’t understand. You know the difference between response and compulsive reaction. Once you do, own your responsibility. Your life was given to you in the spirit of love. Responding to it with grace, at all times, and under all circumstances, is the least that you can do. Once you understand your primary responsibility as an expressive creature, life will take care of the rest.