Responsibility.
- clearstreamzendo
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
This week’s topic for reflection is responsibility. For me responsibility comes down to doing what is needed for things to move in an orderly and beneficial way and not doing things according to what I want in the moment with no concern for the consequences.
Being responsible is recognizing how we are in the world makes a difference. Yesterday Senkei and I went to Jerry’s, our neighborhood hardware store. On the way out the woman at the register was friendly, happy and said to us with a smile, “Come again.” I felt she was authentically happy and friendly and meant it when she said, “Come again.” I like going to Jerry’s and feel like it’s my hardware store. I’m welcome there and can ask questions. Also, it’s important for me to care about everyone and everything and be friendly and kind. To notice, listen, and respond by being helpful. Being responsible doesn’t have to mean carrying a heavy burden. After all as Thich Nhat Hanh said, “The most important person in a community is a happy person.”
It’s important to know in some ways we’re responsible for our situation and also in many ways our situation is beyond our control. Even with the things we don’t control we can choose how open we are to them and how we respond. I’m reminded of Nelson Mandela who was put in prison for decades of his life with no control of his situation. When he was eventually released from prison he had not spent those years playing the victim and becoming bitter. His bold, wise leadership that we’re all in this together, changed the world for the better. A few years ago after I had suddenly became very sick, a few doctors told me they would not have been able to save me if I had not been in good shape. Even though I had no control over getting sick, it made all the difference that I had made the choice and made the effort to maintain a relatively healthy body.
I have a clear responsibility to the health of my body. Even though I try to eat the right things and not eat the wrong things, exercise, enjoy being with people, meditate and enjoy life, sometimes my body gets sick. At some point this body will die or transition to a different kind of living. Thankfully I am not existentially dependent on my body. Here responsibility looks like doing the best I can and trying to be honest and open to the way things are. When we die as when we are alive, if we are open, curious and care, we will do fine.
If we believe we are responsible for things outside of our control we will have a difficult time. We are however, responsible for how we are and what we do in the situation we find ourselves in. Being responsible is to know and care that what we do is important and makes a difference.
How do you see and hold your responsibilities? What are your responsibilities and how are you doing?
Please join us for morning Zoom zazen from 7:00 to 7:30 Tuesday and Thursday, and Sunday morning Zoom zazen and discussion of the topic for reflection blog from 8:00 to 9:00 Pacific Time. Here’s the Zoom link:
Meeting ID: 811 6100 3357
Passcode: 278259
Gassho,
Futai
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