virgin islands scene

Henceforth I ask not good fortune. I myself am good fortune.
-- Walt Whitman
 

 

Wednesday, July 18, 2001

Not my fault

You are responsible for your present circumstances.

But it’s not my fault. Someone cheated me. I got laid off. A storm hit my house. My husband spent all the money. I have a disability. I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t do anything to deserve this. Life is so unfair.

That is all very true. Still, you are responsible for your present circumstances.

Why should I be?

Because it’s your life, and no one else can live it for you.

But it’s not my fault things turned out this way.

No, it’s not your fault. It’s your responsibility. There’s a big difference. Your circumstances are your responsibility not because of how they came to be, but because of what can be done about them. The past is over. Time only moves forward, so no matter where your present circumstances came from, they’re your responsibility now. Which is great, because it means you can do whatever you wish with them.

— Ralph Marston

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Copyright ©2001 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. All Rights Reserved. The Daily Motivator is provided for your personal, non-commercial use only. Other than personal sharing, please do not re-distribute without permission.