Responsible Surprise

"You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of." ~Jim Rohn

There was news story a couple of years back from the Atlanta (Georgia, USA) area about a public official who 'took responsibility' after getting called on it. There was a certain appearance of favoritism by police in the handling of the matter. One could likely assume that a regular citizen would have been hauled into the police station without hesitation.

But it was not the handling of the elected officials police warrants that caught my attention. It was the failed personal responsibility of the elected official which resulted in there being outstanding warrants in the first place. This person had written roughly $1000 dollars worth of bad checks. As the story indicated, this person "wrote four bad checks - each for $300 to $400 - at the Costco in Duluth in January 2007."

To put this in context, that was three years prior to the warrants being revealed. The county in which the warrants were issued, were filed January 2008. It was now January 2010 and this commissioner was 'surprised' by the warrants. Do 'bad checks' just disappear in such a way that you would never have known you wrote them? Did the retailer never attempt to contact you or your bank about them? Nothing?

There were probably reasons behind this elected official's issue. Many of those reasons were deflections of it being their own fault. My point though is not to judge this person or ridicule them. My point is to let it serve as an example regarding personal responsibility.

This particular person was given a 'pass' to straighten out the issue. We all deserve a 'pass' to try and work things out as long as we truly take responsibility and correct those things we have done wrong.

Life can be difficult and I am hopeful for all people having a great life. But life also requires us to take personal responsibility for it.

Take responsibility for all you do. Even when the surprise comes along, stand up and take hold of it.

And stay inspired my friends.