Excuse Me!

July is passing away and there is so much undone. One undone plan is garden work. I have been using this long heat wave as an excuse not to work outside but it is getting to time of no more excuses. Excuses are like blaming others be they politicians or friends. We need others to live and can create environments affecting others but only can control ourselves.

This radical view of life means I am responsible for war, not working in the garden and the harm being done the poor is this new debt reduction bill. Now we must take personal responsibility but not too much for bad things or we would be too depressed to move on.

We need to take responsibility for good things also. That is easier. Last night I talked to a friend of my deceased son, Peter, who has lived a very hard life for forty years. Now he has taken responsibility for his life and with spouse and family moved out west. When I was talking to him by phone last night he expressed gratitude to me for saving his life. I did not but did try hard to provide him with an environment to do the right thing. At times when he failed I was there in a non-judgmental role to encourage him on. But no matter what he or his mom may say he was responsible for turning his life around.

As Peter Maurin, the co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement said all we can do is to create an environment where it is easier to be good. My son Peter used to say “I am doing my best” and for me that was enough. All we can do is do our best, make no excuses or blame nobody.

So tomorrow heat or no heart I will get out in the garden and work, maybe. But no excuses!

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