Thoughts for Leaders: On Blame

Who's to blame? Consider how the wind whips the waves into a frenzy and it creates a power that send the water crashing into the air. The force of the gusts so strong that even rocks can be displaced from their spots and be found in the middle of yards. Who's fault is it that the rock is displaced? Is the wind for blowing? The waves for being moved by that wind? Is it the rocks fault for being pushed around by the waves? Doesn't the rock know it is not meant to be moved? How dare it behave contrary to it's design?! 

Surely, it's the rock that is at fault. If it had only been stronger it would have not been moved. How unfair is it that something more #powerful than itself laid hold of it and tossed it so far!

So then perhaps, it must be the fault of the waves. Their uncontrolled #power lay an assault on a poor helpless immovable rock. It's the waves fault for being so careless in their consideration.  Yet, the waves look to the wind and say "Do you not see what you made me do?" It's not fair of course, because the waves had no choice as the powerful wind carried off it's power.

And the wind, where did it come from? Is it the wind's fault for blowing? Should it cease to exist? Do you know that if there was no wind the world would become sick and die? The fresh wind brings relief, it changes seasons, carries seeds to help plants grow, and it's effects even keeps the waters fresh. The stirring of the wind indeed can cause great destruction but it also bring many benefits. 

We look to cast blame for the powerful forces around us that disrupt our carefully laid plans but we are neither the wind, the waves, or the rock. We simply exist and we can choose our response to all these. If the wind blows too hard, we can simply step into a shelter. We can determine to engage with the waves or not. To surf them or to avoid them. Even the rocks that are thrown at us, we can decide what to do. To avoid them, or to pick them up and put them in a spot that is better from where they started. 

The forces around us are circling but we're not waves tossed in the ocean. We can see the circumstances and determine how we view it. 

No matter what is coming against us, we can #decide our response.