Taking responsibility is never easy, and sometimes it takes courage too. But that is how it helps us grow. Today, we would like to share a story about taking responsibility. We hope how George Washington dealt with responsibilities can inspire all of you. One day, Washington’s father gave Washington an axe as a gift. He was very happy, so he just hung around in the garden.
As he wanted to test whether the axe is really that strong, he tried to chop down the cherry tree. When his father came back home, he saw his favourite cherry tree was chopped down. He was very angry and asked,’ who chopped down my cherry tree.’ At first, Washington was afraid of being scolded and punished, so he dared not to admit it and even hid the axe. But after reconsideration, he decided to admit the fault and bear the responsibility.
I believe all of us know the ending very well. Washington’s father didn’t punish him because he was brave to take responsibility. Washington’s father said to him, “Good boy, I’m so happy! It’s not only because you didn’t lie, but also because you pluck up the courage and tell me the truth. Losing a tree is not something serious. I’d rather lose this tree than see you turn into a lying child. In the end, he succeeded in becoming the first president of the United States and was called the founding father of the United States. The reason that he could become succeeded is he was a responsible and serious person.
Indeed, sometimes we are like Washington, we are scared to take responsibility bravely as we do not know what consequence it brings. We tend to run from it so as to avoid any possible mistakes. But we should all understand, that mistakes cannot be avoided by rejecting responsibilities. In fact, the only thing that we can do is to take everything seriously and try our best to fulfil it, such that the possibility of making mistakes can be lowered.
Saturday, 3 May 2025