Response + Ability

I remember the aha! moment I had at a workshop when the concept of "responsibility" was broken down for me into "response" & "ability". The idea that responsibility is actually my ability to respond in any given situation. Nothing more than my ability to respond at that moment, and nothing less. 

That's all I need to bring to the table: my ability to respond. That's all. In any given moment, I might have the ability to respond with love , patience and clarity. Or I might respond with anger, disappointment or confusion. All legitimate responses according to my current ability. 

As a recovering perfectionist, I've often set very high standards and expectations of "how things should go". I've learned that it serves me better to honor my humanness (and stop thinking I know everything) and accept my ability to respond in whatever way I can in the moment.

It's fine. It's enough. It's me.

And if more than what I have to give is needed in the situation, Source will fill in the rest.