Blog #58--Responsibility Requires Consistency

A recent television commercial reminded us that parents cannot take a day off when it comes to their kids. Young children need help and guidance every day, not just on days we feel up to it. Sick or not, tired or not, we have an instinct that needs fulfillment through our children, compelling us to remain vigilant. Most of us accept that assignment without question.

However, there are days when our best efforts fail. There are times when we lack the energy and/or motivation to go the extra mile to help our children. We don’t want to hurt them by our selfishness, but sometimes our needs and theirs are at crossed purposes. And there are times when we make incorrect decisions that have a negative impact on our children.

Whenever we accept responsibility for someone or some thing, we are responsible EVERY day, not just when we feel like it. That is an extremely tough assignment because everything in this world has an opposite. No matter how dedicated we are or how good we are at fulfilling our responsibilities when at our best, there are times when we simply can’t perform to the level needed.

For instance, I worked nine years as a sports journalist for a college website. I eventually became responsible for every basketball and football game plus practice reports plus player and coach interviews. Recruiting sold subscriptions, so a major task was contacting recruited athletes, their coaches and families to befriend them and assess their interest in our school. And since my contract required that I publish two articles or more every day of my life, consistent responsibility was essential. If I didn’t keep up with the workload, we couldn’t retain subscribers or add new ones.

The final four years, I worked at least 70 hours a week without a vacation. I’m proud of what I accomplished, but there were a couple times when I simply couldn’t perform as needed. For instance, most college basketball programs invite the public to a “Midnight Madness” practice to begin season preparations. It’s a chance for the fans to get an early look at the team, and it’s an opportunity to bring in top high school players as part of their recruitment.

Reporters had just completed interviews with players and coaches on the varsity team the day before, and I was in the process of transcribing tape recordings and preparing articles based upon those interviews. “Midnight Madness” had to start late in the evening; by the time it finally arrived, I was exhausted. Attending were more than forty top basketball players, from eighth graders to seniors in high school. Among them were two players who eventually became first round draft picks for the National Basketball Association.

I was excited about the prospect of meeting and interviewing those athletes. They were all sitting together and readily accessible, and I remember looking up at them from the floor and drooling at all the talent at my fingertips. But then I discovered I had no energy to go up into the stands and meet them. I said “hi” to the two superstars when they arrived, but I didn’t interview them. I simply couldn’t pull the trigger.

It was an extremely frustrating moment, but it wasn’t the only time I’ve found my responsibilities wanting. Like I describe in my book “It’s a Secret, So Pass It On: a Toolbox For Life,” I feed the birds and squirrels in my area on a daily basis and have done so for several years. At first, forgetfulness caused me to miss a day or two. But when I realized how I was making them dependent upon me feeding them, I became more dedicated.

I have breathing problems anyway, so setting out the food in our four feeders and putting clean water in the bird bath is a problem for me. This is especially true during high humidity days and days below freezing. Add a strong wind chill factor and snow in the winter, and it is easy to rationalize skipping a day. However, that is when our friends need us most. I know I will be panting severely before I’m finished, but I make an effort to feed them every day.

Illnesses and necessary travel limit my ability to be completely consistent. I also know there will come a time when I’m no longer around to feed them. Their faith in me won’t be rewarded, and their survival might be threatened if they cannot rekindle the instincts that allow them to fend for themselves during harsh conditions. One can make a decent argument for not feeding them in the first place, but there is a down side to both extremes. It is a matter of choice whether we feed them or not, but once we start, consistency is essential.

We will fail at our tasks on occasion, but a determination to be consistently responsible helps a great deal. The more consistent we are, the more we can be trusted, the better job we will do, and the better we will feel about ourselves. Even if it is a boring, repetitive task like working on an assembly line, we can find solace in our ability to accept our assignment and do the best we can.

If we do our best daily, the rest will take care of itself.

http://dreamtime3.wix.com/jacktuttlebook

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