Responsibility is being taught, but is it being learned?

I have said before, to my friends and to the professor of this class that requires me to journal, that I love this class. If I never am able to identify a prepositional phrase or work a geometric equation that will be fine with me. I hope I can absorb and even share with others the importance of taking responsibility for your thoughts and life, also, to be able to identify responsibility when it is being sincerely expressed in the form of a verb (as in taking action).

Several years ago I had decided I was no longer going to vote. The political process had begun to deeply disturb and disgust me. I felt like I was one of zillions of armchair quarterbacks and our Presidential elections were the Superbowl; complete with mascots, team names, every few years new (and overpaid) players, cheating, and billions of pundits giving their opinion on how the game (election) was being played, should be played, and should have been played.

Most all of the play during the Superbowl "Election" was based on outright lies, each player belittling the other and to use an overused phrase, slinging mud. While I am a life long proud democrat, I would always become disenchanted even with my own candidate (team) at some point. I could never bring myself to vote republican, however, it often felt like I was choosing the lesser of two evils.

I was not preached to about not voting when I told a close friend, but this wise friend reminded me of my responsibility to vote. Since this time, seven and three quarter years ago (do the math and figure that one out) my countries government has made me weep openly with overwhelming joy. I never thought in my lifetime I would see a same sex marriage and I never thought in my lifetime I would see a black man be Commander in Chief. Even writing this paragraph makes my pulse slightly elevate in a humbling joy. As the human race we have so far to go, but I am so glad I took my part, my responsibility as much as I could to facilitate both of these things happening.

Do I think two men or two women should be able to get married because I am gay? No. I think they should have the right to marry because they are human and in love. Do I think a black man should have gotten my vote because he was black or democrat? Of course not. He got my vote because he was the most qualified candidate our country has produced in decades. The words "taking responsibility" somewhere down the line has gotten a bad wrap, somehow meaning something almost negative. Taking responsibility also can be extremely empowering. I see the latter being taught in our class and it is fantastic.

Presidential candidates should be required to take this class before running for office, well, the republicans anyway. Opps, did I say that?

Our journal exercise today is in two parts, one asks us to complete some sentences and the second is a free writing about our experiences thus far, so here we go.

Write and complete each of the ten sentences below, the text from the book will be in bold, that not in bold is the student (my) response.

1. If I take full responsibility for all my actions I see myself being empowered to accomplish great things and helping others.
2. If I take responsibility for all my thoughts it would be a miracle, but I try daily.
3. If I take responsibility for all my feelings I know I would be a happier person.
4. If I take responsibility for my my education I will form good study habits and make better than average grades.
5. If I take full responsibility for my career I will be able to do anything I set my mind too.
6. If I take full responsibility for my relationships I will be a better friend, relative and mate.
7. If I take responsibility for my health I will enjoy the much taken for granted luxury of a healthy life.
8. If I take full responsibility for all that happens to me I am no longer a victim.
9. When I am acting fully responsibility for my life I enjoy life more and am able to bring joy to others.
10. If I were to create my very best self I would be where I am right now, doing what I am doing right now, hence, I am a work in progress and I am happy with the progress.

Write about what you have learned or relearned in this journal about personal responsibility and how you will use this knowledge to improve your life.

There is nothing new I have been exposed to in this text book or my writings so far, however, I had forgotten the importance these simple life rules, these simple core values, that were all taught to me and understood by the time I was 10 years old. It is refreshing to revisit them as an adult with a new and deeper understanding of how they can / do apply to me and how I can use these tools to be a better human. Be the human I want to be.