Excuses Excuses

EXCUSES EXCUSES!

Sorry my blog today  is a bit of a rant … so best start with a story!

            There’s a story told about two young brothers who’d become really hard work.  This was way back before ASBO’s and their poor Mother was struggling. When they were accused of stealing from a neighbour, she decided to act… she took them along to the church with its lovely stained glass to see the rather stern local priest. He started telling them all about Jesus. Then he asked them if they could see if they could find Jesus for themselves. One of the boys simply tore out of the church back to his Mum. Ma Ma, it wasn’t me I didn’t do it, I didn’t steal Jesus!

            I tell that story because it seems to me we also haven’t grown up, we haven’t learnt to be honest and take some blame, to take responsibility. How many more bankers are going to have to tell us it wasn’t their fault, how many more politicians claim, I’ve done nothing wrong.  And to be honest it’s no good just blaming others: I’m 50 years old, if I haven’t started influencing society for good by now, then that’s my fault. So I say it’s time we grow up, accept our faults and if you have none, then how about challenging the rest of us. We don’t live in a world where walking by on the other side, or simply observing on TV, makes us innocent. No, if racists push a black man of a train, the very least we can do is get off the train and stand with him. Better still, get of the train and offer him your place. If my colleague fiddles his expenses, or boasts about his tax dodge or works on the black market then my responsibility is to challenge him and ultimately to shop him. It’s time we started challenging ourselves and standing up for what we believe to be right.