Maturity and Responsibility

The other day while speaking to the boys in my good morning talk, I narrated the story of the fight between two people in a village. One arguing that the other stole his cow; while the other stubbornly stating that he did not.  Only a while later the latter admits softly to having picked up a rope which was lying on the road...

Now that's how an immature person would argue. He never really "stole" the cow, leave alone touch it.  He merely took the rope!  That the cow was tied to the other end of the rope is not a matter of his responsibility.  He didn't tie it, neither did he ask the cow to follow the rope!

Whenever we say a word or undertake a particular action, there are reasons preceding it, and consequences following it.  Only a mature person will take responsibility for all three: the act itself, the reasons for choosing a particular means and the consequences of that choice.