I would rank
the level of responsibility in my life about a 2 out of ten. I don’t have a
house, car, kids, a wife or even a pet lobster to take care of. These facts suit me just fine. I embrace my teenage
level of responsibility. This enables me to make every decision based on how it
will enhance my life and not take into account anyone else’s feelings or
desires. It’s a life that I’ve designed not particularly on purpose to be Bert
centred and focused.
There are 18
year old's in this world who have a very adorable little boy or girl at home,
work full-time, live in a one bedroom apartment without their family around to
support them and make choices not on how much fun they can possibly have but
what is best for their child’s short and long term safety and happiness. Their
responsibility level hovers right around that 9 level. Just because someone has
a higher level, doesn’t mean that their life is considerably harder or better
but is in part a reflection of the choices that person has made along with
their priorities. We are as responsible as our life situation forces us to be.
Some people
desire and crave responsibility. Having a job with a great deal of
responsibility usually means getting paid commensurately. A person who is in
charge of people and a payroll will be paid higher than the
parking lot attendant who only needs to worry about people not practising how
to make a baby in his parking lot. Sometimes, responsibility comes gradually.
Moving away to school, getting a girlfriend, full-time job, house, pet rooster,
wife and so on. Other times, it is more sudden like being left to take care of
a child after they are left to you in your best friends will or having to take
care of a parent who is sick and forgetful. (Mom, don’t get sick. I’m busy)
While I shy away from all forms of responsibility such as making long or short
term plans or owning anything that will keep me tied to one place, if a random
event forced me to think of another person first or be less selfish, I’m
(pretty) sure I would be able to do it. You just adjust and make a new plan.
We
as humans adapt to new realities quickly. Things aren’t as bad as we imagine it
to be in our brains. While I currently am in love with my no responsibility
life (example: One of my biggest responsibilities is changing the dehumidifier
water in my room that I live in for free, in my brother’s basement; I think I’m
getting better at it) once I fall in love (which I’m not even excited for) and
get married, I will welcome responsibility. House? Sure! Car? Why not a
min-van? Pets? Sure! Let’s make this place a zoo! Going from a 2 to a 7 is a
drastic change but once you already have some responsibility, what’s one more
person living in your house or baseball team to coach?
I would like
to hear what you think your responsibility level is, if you think lower or
higher leads to more happiness and how you manage the stress, if any, of having an
increasing load of responsibility in your daily life. I have a three day
weekend coming up and honestly have nothing pressing that needs to be
accomplished. I do have to get a chest x-ray done for Poland and help someone
move for about an hour but that about sums it up. Let me know if you have a
more adult weekend in the works. I love you all very much.
"The price of greatness is responsibility." Winston Churchill
