A Life Of Meaning And Responsibility

By Joshua Clayton

We must create our own meaning and take responsibility for ourselves. With that said. I begin this article: I was having an early morning discussion today with my Mother about past pain and trauma in my childhood. Although it was mostly one-sided, and I was fully letting it go once in for all, I realized that if it is to be it is up to me. Especially when I seriously quote luminaries like Calvin Coolidge (on persistence) and Mark Spitz (on work ethic) almost all the time, now. Think about it, nothing takes the place of persistence and great work ethic, not even "natural genius" or "good looks that get you through initially". Do not just read what I am saying, hear what I am saying, especially "those that have everything on a silver platter, easy" that need a dose of this lesson here.

Sometimes, I think the real "easy way" comes to the person willing to do the hardest things in the genuine best and most meticulous way possible with full detail and honesty attended to in every way. On the other hand, the real hard way comes to those "who have it too easy without understanding fully what they have until after they have used it wrong". I took the genuinely real "easy way" like the first example, and that way seems "silly" sometimes to the best and worst of us until it is "too late", "after the fact" and all is said and done, results are tallied and realities counted for.

A life of meaning and responsibility is always harder than cruising through it all, but I can tell you that it is worth it in every way for anyone who fully lives it and without wishing for that "easy way" even at times. What do you think Friedrich Nietzsche really tried to mean by "The noble soul has reverence for itself"? A truly noble soul does not want any part of "easy dishonesty" and lives for what is real and really good instead of what "looks good". Reality to be conquered must genuinely be obeyed, right down to avionics when it comes to genuine plane flight? Well, I say life is that way, and it cannot be faked ultimately even if we seemingly and temporarily "get away with faking it for a while". So, start thinking: There is nothing to hide behind, really. There is nothing to fake definitely, and reality always catches up with us ultimately. If you do the right thing, there is nothing to worry about. If you do the wrong thing, it will catch up with you ultimately. Final hint in this article: The only ultimate cheater is in the mirror, and our only ultimate best friend if we do the right thing is in the mirror.

My name is Joshua Clayton, I am a freelance writer based in Inglewood, California. I also write under a few pen-names and aliases, but Joshua Clayton is my real name, and I write by that for the most part now. I am a philosophical writer and objective thinker and honest action taker. I also work at a senior center in Gardena, California as my day job, among other things, but primarily I am a writer.