Five Minute Friday :: Responsible

• Five Minute Friday :: Responsible Linkup

Somewhere I read, over-responsibility is neurosis; irresponsibility is character disorder. Most people can't avoid being some of both at one time or another.

I'll start by asking "Is neurosis still a concept?" Whether or not most contemporary clinicians use the word neurosis, most of us have an excellent idea of what it means. I'll admit I tend toward the over-responsible side, and I have a sneaking suspicion most women probably do. Only last week in our Approve FMF I admitted to being a people-pleaser—again, more women than not, I suspect. So why not make this yet another in my Life Stuff category? No, I don't think so. Not this time.

Let's look at responsible from the perspective of being responsive. Responding to the needs of others, especially those in our immediate circle. Responding to the needs of creation. On occasion being an (over)responsible steward of planet earth. I try to live as green and as minimally as my current living arrangement allows; I know several people who get very high marks for their level of creation care. I have one friend in particular whose stewardship of this planet is so extraordinary it's a case of "I have no words." I'm always in awe of the example she sets. And related to my opening statement, I'd say she occasionally gets excessive (over-responsible?) in some aspects of earth care.

Riffing on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's gospel, I designed the Salt, Leaven, LIght header illustration. As a creation lover and especially given my passion for cities and The City, I try to look around for situations than need a bit of seasoning in order to be appealing. A hint of yeast to grow into what they could be. A blaze of light to reveal goodness and possibility.

In what areas of life do you excel in being responsible? Is there one where you're overly so? How about a wonderfully balanced just right without going over or under? Do you have one? I wonder if I do!

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