Burden of responsibility

‘No one can build you the bridge on which you, only you must cross the river of life”, a clarion call to take charge of yourself and undertake the great journey of life by the philosopher Nietzche. We are the fragile offspring of nature with life’s  overwhelming  travails and  scintillating joys but still gifted with an indomitable will. Sometimes  the  mix is disproportionate but whatever the mix, it is all there and  we are responsible for whatever there is. Life is the sum of choices, the priorities we list for ourselves springing from values dear to our heart and goals we set for ourselves in a finite world. The journey of life is often difficult where temptation is rife and  we face difficult choices between good and bad   and even   a  compulsion to choose between  things equally good or bad. Nevertheless it is the human choice that shapes destiny and decides our fate. It is ethics that determine choices and suggest difficult priorities.

The existentialist philosopher Sartre says we are free individuals and this freedom condemns us to make choices throughout our lives. He emphasised that we must never disclaim the responsibility for our actions nor can we avoid the responsibility of making our choices as  then, we give up our right to   live authentically and truly. “To exist is to create your own life”. We must be responsible and claim ownership to all our deeds. A sense of responsibility  gives us our self worth. As the novelist and journalist Joan Didion  says ”To free us from expectations of others to give us back to ourselves there lies the great, the singular power of self respect” and  without that there is nothing we can offer to the world . 

The Koran says” No bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another.” The doctrine of personal responsibility is a cardinal feature of Islam No person can claim merit from others nor is he responsible for the sins of others. Taking responsibility liberates us from the constraints of others, the shadow of their experiences ,expectations, successes and failures. To wind up with Nietzche “there may be countless trails and bridges and demigods who would gladly carry you across but only at the price of pawning and forgoing yourself. There is one path in the world none can walk but you. Where does it lead? Don’t ask, walk!”