Duty and Responsibility seem to be "four" letter words in today's fast-moving world. Call me old fashioned but these ideals are a grounding force in my busy world. I believe these sentiments are driving forces in directing the passions in my life.
I think that duty is a part of conscience. It is the forward thinking apparatus that can serve as a a guidepost in a field of choices. We generally accept conscience (guilty or otherwise) as a method of looking back at actions already committed and judging them. But a sense of duty to yourself, family, country, mankind can be a counterbalance to ego. I like checking in with my sense of duty when in doubt as to which choice to make (moral decisions) or path to follow. Duty doesn't always win, but it's comforting for me to know I can use it as a yardstick.
Many people talk about personal responsibility and how it doesn't seem to be accepted as readily today as it was in the past. We are all too ready to let others assume actions on our behalf while we sit back and helplessly await outcomes for which we have little control. I'd rather be an instigator of my actions with the responsibilities and rewards that come with them. When I fail it may knock me for a loop, but I can look at the experience as my doing and hopefully learn from it. To me, responsibility is the mantle of adulthood... when you put it on you are who you appear to others.
Armed with duty and responsibility...pretty good armor for today's world even if they are a little old fashioned.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
Almost a year later
I didn't mean to wait a whole year to blog again...so this will be a better attempt at doing something I like to do. Play with words.
This new year brings "passion" to the forefront of my mind. What are my passions?
I am well aware of my fears and nagging concerns that keep me awake at night. Certainly I am concerned with global warming, the war in Iraq, the continuing genocides in Africa and on and on. I can bemoan the behavior of countries with large carbon footprints and I can do my part to be a member of mankind...and here lies the opportunity to become or reawaken my passions. Some of these may ring true to you, or you may decide that there is no value to my passions at all.
In no particular order my New Year's 2008 manifesto:
1. Duty. I like to feel responsible for my actions and their consequences. I want to play my part in world around me. I don't believe in an afterlife, so whatever I want to accomplish and feel good about, I had better do now.
2. Act local, think global. I can get behind this sentiment--I feel passionate about supporting local issues with an eye to how they will affect beyond where I live.
3. Success. I'd like to devise a do it yourself kit of what success looks like. Then I'd like to challenge those visions to help redefine the American "dream" or bring it back down to real, human terms. I'd like to lead group "values" courses, and have people renew them every few years, like a driver's license.
4. I'd like to facilitate a forum for like-minded individuals to discuss meaningful issues (my definition of meaningful of course! Hah!). I am passionate about conversation.
5. I'd like to spend my time solving problems...big ones, or small ones. Big ones are where I'd like some help...but they need to be approached from the vantage that all problems are solvable, some may just take a little more thought and preparation.
6. I'd like to teach people that it is possible to be a responsible consumer and a good steward of our earth. I understand that very few people want to forgo the conveniences of electricity, centrally heated homes and air-conditioned summers. But to make us happy where do we cross the line? Is a 10,000 square foot home or a Hummer vehicle really what you want/need/makes you happy, or is it simply enough that if you can afford it, you can have it. I feel passionately that this needs to be reexamined.
7. The "Measured Capitalist" is a term I've coined to express a middle ground. I'm passionate about middle ground. It is not a position of weakness derived from the softening of the two polar opposites. It is a well thought out, or measured approach to a situation, problem or dilemma. Bless these "middle" men or women!
8. Culture. Don't get me started, but let me say quickly that I am passionate about allowing space for genius, big or small to flourish. As the "ordinary" expounds, mediocrity leaves little room in this world for originality let alone true talent. I beg for space in all the clutter for "good stuff".
9. Food. Real, satisfying, sustainable, local for those of us who have plenty. For those who don't even have enough, I wish for available, locally sustainable, affordable and plentiful.
10. This is the spot for all the other things I feel passionate about, but hold no redeemable values: politics, religion, men and/vs women. These are topics that can inflame the passions, but in the end don't amount to much. They are sustained artificially but are not truly sustainable.
There you have them...10 top areas where I intend to apply my energies this year!
This new year brings "passion" to the forefront of my mind. What are my passions?
I am well aware of my fears and nagging concerns that keep me awake at night. Certainly I am concerned with global warming, the war in Iraq, the continuing genocides in Africa and on and on. I can bemoan the behavior of countries with large carbon footprints and I can do my part to be a member of mankind...and here lies the opportunity to become or reawaken my passions. Some of these may ring true to you, or you may decide that there is no value to my passions at all.
In no particular order my New Year's 2008 manifesto:
1. Duty. I like to feel responsible for my actions and their consequences. I want to play my part in world around me. I don't believe in an afterlife, so whatever I want to accomplish and feel good about, I had better do now.
2. Act local, think global. I can get behind this sentiment--I feel passionate about supporting local issues with an eye to how they will affect beyond where I live.
3. Success. I'd like to devise a do it yourself kit of what success looks like. Then I'd like to challenge those visions to help redefine the American "dream" or bring it back down to real, human terms. I'd like to lead group "values" courses, and have people renew them every few years, like a driver's license.
4. I'd like to facilitate a forum for like-minded individuals to discuss meaningful issues (my definition of meaningful of course! Hah!). I am passionate about conversation.
5. I'd like to spend my time solving problems...big ones, or small ones. Big ones are where I'd like some help...but they need to be approached from the vantage that all problems are solvable, some may just take a little more thought and preparation.
6. I'd like to teach people that it is possible to be a responsible consumer and a good steward of our earth. I understand that very few people want to forgo the conveniences of electricity, centrally heated homes and air-conditioned summers. But to make us happy where do we cross the line? Is a 10,000 square foot home or a Hummer vehicle really what you want/need/makes you happy, or is it simply enough that if you can afford it, you can have it. I feel passionately that this needs to be reexamined.
7. The "Measured Capitalist" is a term I've coined to express a middle ground. I'm passionate about middle ground. It is not a position of weakness derived from the softening of the two polar opposites. It is a well thought out, or measured approach to a situation, problem or dilemma. Bless these "middle" men or women!
8. Culture. Don't get me started, but let me say quickly that I am passionate about allowing space for genius, big or small to flourish. As the "ordinary" expounds, mediocrity leaves little room in this world for originality let alone true talent. I beg for space in all the clutter for "good stuff".
9. Food. Real, satisfying, sustainable, local for those of us who have plenty. For those who don't even have enough, I wish for available, locally sustainable, affordable and plentiful.
10. This is the spot for all the other things I feel passionate about, but hold no redeemable values: politics, religion, men and/vs women. These are topics that can inflame the passions, but in the end don't amount to much. They are sustained artificially but are not truly sustainable.
There you have them...10 top areas where I intend to apply my energies this year!
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