One thing that jumps out from Amy Wilson’s story is that she takes full responsibility for her actions and the consequences.
There is none of that ‘well, you just don’t understand the pressure I was under’, or ‘I had to do it’, or our culture’s favorite ‘it’s mommy and daddy’s fault’.
Instead, what happened is fully her fault.
Consider her comments, which I extracted from the article. I feel free to quote her extensively since I have permission to reprint her article.
Look at the strong statement early in the article:
Let me step back here just a moment — to make it crystal clear — as I explain the events that led me to prison, that I take full responsibility for my choices. Nothing justifies my betrayal of my employer.
Read that again. Who made the choices? Who was the betrayer?
Look at the ownership that works its way into various comments:
Now, I plainly see what I did was wrong from all angles.
Who caused the ugly emotions in her family?
It has taken years for us to work through the feelings of anger and betrayal I caused.
Again, look at whose actions caused this:
My criminal actions devastated my family emotionally and financially.
Check out this comment:
Through my employment and the funds I earn from speaking, I am making restitution to my victim.
Notice who is the victim (her employer) and who put the victim in that position (she did).
Look at how she saw freedom that came from a full confession.
In telling inmates they can rebuild their lives, she says..
..that they must start with honesty. It really is all about the truth. Once I told the trial judge the truth and accepted the repercussions of my actions, I was finally free.
Taking full ownership of a fiasco is liberating. It provides freedom. It allows a path forward to rebuild your life.
I hope and pray none of us find ourselves in the situation she was in.
We can still learn from her story of the wonderful freedom that comes from taking ownership of our actions.
Update: here are my posts in this series:
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