10/01/2026
October Character Trait: Responsibility
A Message from C.D. Madden, Sr., M.Ed., Executive Director, Lee’s Summit CARES
My grandfather, the original C.D. Madden, had a saying that has stayed with me throughout my life: “If you make your bed hard, then roll over often.” It was his way of teaching me that our choices have consequences—and that responsibility means owning those choices, learning from them, and developing the strength to endure hard things. Life will not always be easy, but character is revealed by what we do with what we have been given. I often tell my mentees, “The only difference between a blessing and a burden is your capacity to keep IT.” Responsibility requires us to build that capacity. It is choosing ownership over escapism, growth over excuses, and having the courage to ask for help when the weight becomes too heavy to carry alone.
We are living in a world that often seems to be racing toward the “easy button.” It can be easier to choose hate than the hard work of love; easier to post, text, or react for attention than to slow down and truly listen; easier to escape into unhealthy behaviors than to confront what is hurting us; and easier to blame than to examine the role we can play in creating change. Responsibility challenges us to choose differently. As adults, parents, educators, leaders, and neighbors, we also have a responsibility to model for the next generation how we use the powerful tools placed in our hands—from social media and artificial intelligence to our words, influence, and relationships. Our young people are watching how we handle disagreement, how we respond when we are wrong, and whether we use our gifts simply for ourselves or to make life better for others.
President John F. Kennedy challenged Americans, “Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.” That challenge reaches far beyond politics. At Lee’s Summit CARES, we believe responsibility is essential to building strong youth, strong families, and a strong community. So this October—and every chance we get—let us resist the easy button. Own your choices. Own your words. Own your gifts. Own your mistakes. Ask for help when you need it. And accept responsibility for what happens next. We may not control everything life gives us, but we can always take responsibility for what we choose to do with it.
www.lscares.org
“Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts." -Edward R. Murrow
An award-winning nonprofit supporting local youth and families since 1986!
