How to Be a Responsible Man

                                                                           □ by Stone

“Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get.”  Do you remember this famous quote?  If you are given an opportunity to select just one chocolate from this assorted box of chocolates, can you be responsible for your choice?  In the movie Forrest Gump, we saw Forrest Gump make choices.  In doing that, was he responsible for them?  Some people will say he was an irresponsible idiot, or was he?

From the movie, we can draw three simple but overwhelmingly strong principles that governed Gump’s life: his commitment to his friend, his loyalty to his family, and his unselfish devotion to the community.

Many people are deeply struck by Forrest Gump because he was committed to his friend, Babba.  What motivated him to keep his verbal promise to Babba?  It was his sense of responsibility.  This reminds me of the commitment made by my faithful classmates and roommates, who cared for my health when I was temporarily incapacitated.  Responsibility is the steadfast commitment to our friends.

Not only was he sincere to his friend, Forrest Gump was also intensely loyal and responsible for his mother, for Jenny, and for his son – a lesson of devotion!  Do you dare take the responsibility to demonstrate your love by saying, “I love you, mother!”?  Most of us will be known by our children as “Mommy” or “Daddy” in the next decade. Are you prepared to be a responsible mother?  A responsible father?  Responsibility is the undying loyalty to our family.

Besides his commitment and loyalty, what impressed me most was Gump’s unselfishness to his community.  His generous financial donations to hospitals and churches remind me of what the great scientist Albert Einstein remarked: “My peace of mind is often troubled by the depressing thought that I have borrowed heavily from the work of other men.”  In fact, we, who live in this century, are benefiting from the sweat, the suffering, the struggle of other unknown men. Aren’t we expected and obligated to return to our community as much as – or even more than – what we’ve received?  Responsibility is the unselfish devotion to our community.

Life is indeed like a box of chocolates.  Whatever we choose, we have the obligation to be responsible for our choice.  Rich and poor, intelligent and ignorant, wise and foolish, virtuous and vicious, men and women – it is ever the same. Each soul is supposed to take his or her responsibility.

References: A) A quotation from Albert Einstein’s Man is here for the sake of other men

           B) A sentence pattern from Bertrand Russell’s What I have lived for

           C) A revised quotation from Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s speech.

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