On Responsibility

"With great power comes great responsibility."

That famous line from Spiderman has been repeated a little too much... but there is truth in what that line says.  The people who hold power holds a lot of responsibility that affects people's lives... and usually it's immediate.  But I kind of find it funny to see that if we turn it around, we get, "With great responsibility comes great power," because it's true.  If you take on the responsibility of something great, with that you can hold that great power.

So what are we responsible for?  Honestly, we can be responsible for any number of things.  From jobs to homework, from children to adults.  However, we forget the most important thing we must always be responsible for.  We forget the importance of ourselves.  We are responsible for ourselves first before we can be responsible for anyone else.

What good is it if we are financially irresponsible for ourselves and we attempt to help someone who is in a financial bind?  Why would someone ask you for advice on training if you have a lazy lifestyle?  It is imperative that we are able to help ourselves first before we can help others.  Instead of putting yourself further in debt by helping another person financially, shouldn't you be helping yourself get your finances in order so that you would be able to help more that need the help?  Would it not be better for you to get yourself in shape before you go out and train other people?

Although we daily make an impact to the people around us, we ought not to forget our responsibility for our own growth, because in growing and bettering ourselves, the impact we make to the people around us has exponentially increased towards a positive direction.

The reason I speak of responsibility now is because whether we like it or not, we do have responsibilities.  We impact people.  We influence people.  We help mold the world through the small meetings we have with one another.  The classmate who you helped up when he fell... he could become a great neurosurgeon, saving lives.  The person you smiled at and asked how their day was... she could become a mayor... we just don't know who we're going to impact.  We don't know how they're going to turn out... but when you build yourself into a person of great character, an individual that leaves others better than when they first met them... you do make a difference.  You do carry that responsibility... as well as the power.

If we take responsibility and take care of ourselves, we create an opportunity to grow, thus allowing us the privilege of serving those around us... a responsibility which lets us truly live.

It's not being selfish that allows us to care for others, it's the simple fact that you can't serve if you have nothing to give.  Continue to fill yourself up as you fill the lives of others.  Just as you may put the responsibility on yourself to serve the people around you... make sure to not forget to serve yourself.