Deciding to be proud

Okay, continuing on with responsibility (before finishing the door anecdote). We used to point the finger at others (when we were little children), if we thought we were going to be in trouble. If, by diverting the attention to another sibling or person the action could be better justified, or the consequences avoided altogether. That’s the difference. There are so many ‘adults’ out there today, who want to point the finger at others for the decisions they themselves make. Mainly the bad decisions they make. They tend to forget the good decisions, as they do not bring in so much assistance or opportunity for avarice. The moment something happens and the outcome is not favourable, we, as society, tend hear that dreaded word. Compensation. Somebody should pay compensation to somebody else. Somebody should be compensated for something that happened, fifty or one hundred, or even two hundred more years ago. Even, when they were not directly involved. This appears to be a disease of the modern western society. The all too often throwing away of any personal responsibility, and subsequently, pointing the blame at somebody else, rather, than examining their own possibly poor decisions and actions.

In many of the countries I visited, in Asia and Africa particularly (I cannot speak for Central, or South America, not having been there, yet), I was often inspired by the work ethic of people who had nothing. The personal responsibility they display. In many areas (outside of the main cities), people have to generate their own wealth and create their own sustainability. They had no welfare assistance to draw on. They had no guaranteed income, or even service delivery. Admittedly, it is often a poorer lifestyle than that which I am privileged to have today, but, because of this individual drive I observed a greater level of pride in all things. In the homes, the families, the villages. I saw enormous pride for what they had worked to obtain. Even something as simple as getting a new set of clothes. They were worn with pride, cleaned and dried, with that same pride.

I saw wooden boxes used as dwellings, which literally ‘shone’ from being swept, cleaned and arranged to reflect that pride. People who had nothing finacially (according to the world economists), had something of far greater value. Respect. For each other, as well as themselves. I have shared people’s very meagre meals at their insistance. I have walked dirt roads in the company of people who possess a far greater happiness than many. They enjoy the moment. They enjoy and respect the other. I once took part in building a section of a what was to be a shared, two room dwelling, built by four families, working to save and buy the bricks and materials in stages, as they obtained any little income. They ‘owned’ their house, from the ground up. Nothing happened until they paid for the next piece. They would own it when it was finished. But most of all I saw the link created between personal responsibility and the outcome. Personal pride.

(continued tomorrow)