July 2. “It is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities.” (Sir Josiah Stamp)

Much of my philosophy of lie is built around accountability. I am a firm believer that the greater the sense of personal accountability a person has, the better person they are and will be. When people embrace the notion that their actions (or inactions), have consequences, and they know what those consequences will be, they are more likely to act in an honorable way. People who believe that they can get away with anything will have no qualms about exercising that perceived right, to the detriment of themselves and others.

Stamp is right, it is easy to dodge responsibilities. It is easy to lay back, take the path of inaction, and allow those things for which a person is responsible to slip. For a time, this will work. But inevitably it will catch up with the person.

Shirking responsibility always has consequences – some large and some small. And, the sad reality is that the effort required to simply take care of responsibilities is always far less than the effort to clean up later and deal with the consequences.

Today my reflection is on the accepting of personal responsibility, not so much for myself, but I pray that everyone will embrace this notion, see the consequences of their actions in advance. I firmly believe that if more people do this, we will be in far better shape in this world.