We all like to point fingers. Even in the church. For years the Catholic church has blamed pro-choice and pro-gay marriage advocates for accusations of abuse in the church. No longer, though. The Pope has owned that it's the fault of sins within the church--not those outside. I've only skimmed to article linked above, but I appreciate the Pope taking ownership on behalf of the church. Now if we could all do the same. It's not just the Catholic church--we're a nation (maybe even a world) of blamers.
I became an expert blamer. I didn't want people to think ill of me, so I became good at pointing my finger away from myself. It was a dis-empowering act that had long-term consequences. I'm doing better at taking ownership for things, but I still must guard myself.
And while I'm doing better at taking ownership, I already see my son becoming a blamer. Nothing is his fault. There's always an excuse. We're trying to nip that in the bud right now, but it seems like we're going to have to be persistent and patient in waiting for it to end.
When we blame, we weaken ourselves. When we own, we empower ourselves, even if it means looking bad for a little while. It makes us stronger; it makes society stronger. So, let's follow the Pope's model and start taking ownership of things.
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