Crash

Last night I was parking outside of a public building into which I had to run for a couple of minutes. As I parked, I noticed someone backing out of the parking lot and backing into a car parked across the street. The sound made it obvious that there was a bit of damage. My view of the damage was blocked, but I was glad to see the driver get out and examine the damage. I proceeded into the building.

I emerged a few minutes later and saw the very obvious large dent on the door of the car that was hit. The perpetrator was no where to be found. As I opened the door of my car, I saw someone emerge from an apartment and approach the car that was hit. He stopped in shock as he saw the dent on his car door. I emerged from my car and asked him if someone had left a note accepting responsibility for hitting him. He said no one had. I made some efforts to help him find the responsible party, I don't know if he was identified.

I must admit that I walked away fro this event sorely disappointed and saddened that someone would act that way.

But then I began to look at myself in the mirror, and think of all the times I have not properly taken responsibility for the consequences of my behavior. I have certainly acted in ways similar to this person in the past. If I am so quick to judge the hit and run man for his shirking, surely that puts the onus on me to make sure that I am taking proper responsibility for whatever I do.

All too often it is easy to feel that you can get away with it, especially when no one else sees and knows what you have done. True integrity is demonstrated by how you conduct yourself when no one else is looking. Don't you want to be honest to yourself? Generally, if you aren't, and you aren't a psychopath, then trying to get away with such a thing ends up making you feel pretty awful. Why put yourself through that misery?