“Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does not want to carry his own weight, this is a frightening prospect.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
One of the greatest challenges to any business manager, civic leader, teacher or parent is that of inspiring others to rise up – not to some impossible standard that is beyond their capacity – but to the point where they are carrying their own weight.
The weight you carry should rightly increase as you age and mature. As you graduate into a larger scope of living (which by the way can be a daily affair), you should experience a corresponding increase in the mental, emotional and spiritual weight you rightly bear. If you carry yourself correctly, the weight is not a burden, but a joy.
When weight of any kind is mismanaged, function is impaired. In such cases attention tends to center on the imbalance, rather than on the best means of restoring balance.
The first step to restoring balance is to pay less attention to the weight and more attention to the areas of responsibility that are ripe to be assumed. Instead of bemoaning the weight, grow up and do something about it.
Gregory Hake 
One thing about responsibility that it’s different for every person, there is of course an over arching responsibility to lead a righteous life which all of us share, but the nitty gritties of responsibility are unique to each individual, because they relate to our God given talents. I think it is true that we are often reluctant to grow up and do what is our to do, it’s as if we’re perpetually waiting for that “Father” or “Mother” figure to tell us what to do. But that is in fact a cop out…Father and Mother can definately guide at up to a certain age I suspect, but ultimately only we can do what is our to do, and it is in the doing that that weight, as Gregg mentioned, is less burdensome. Thank you for the opportunity to meditate on this topic.
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This is one of the reasons why it is important to never become afraid to challenge yourself in life. If you are scared to push beyond your current capacity, how can you ever carry more weight than you are currently carrying? Also, there are times when it is wise to push hard and times when it is important to push less. If you are imbalanced in these cycles, when a new weight is forced upon you (as it sometimes is), there is the potential to be either unprepared or burned out. Either of these things are suboptimal. The ideal is to always be making progress, but to also be sensitive to the changing seasons around you as well.
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Thanks for your words they ring true. As responsibility is seen and accepted the paths in life begin to be seen. Obviously not the whole path rather steps in the way. It is good to see how as responsibility is made clear and steps taken the natural result of increasing weight and stature is revealed. This can relate to moving beyond our comfort zone however as what needs to be done is done it really is not a big deal. Your words do point to knowing the promise of life.
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Great advice, thank you!
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Coming from a big family this was a popular theme from my earliest memory. Everyone had their job and as you matured that job changed. The older kids were responsible for the younger ones. If you earned money it was given to my mother to help with a small amount kept for yourself. Carrying your weight included an ever increasing share of the collective weight. If there were a family crisis it was everyones to shoulder. I guess this would seem harsh to some today but we were not enslaved kids we were part of a family, we belonged to each other. Was it balanced, perhaps not but a couple take aways from my childhood was realizing that my contribution was important and many hands didn’t just create a lighter load; as a creative machine it had many byproducts such as confidence, joy, new ideas and momentum. These are some of the offspring when it is an aggregate experience. Business, families and societies are all potential green houses for this rewarding experience but if you don’t do your part you not only miss the event you might not even be aware it occured. Great subject. Each moment is another chance to take your place!
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