Accountability Starts Within: Ninety-Second Hip Freestyle: And Arendt On Propaganda

Coaches fail, husbands can’t make wives do anything, and wives can’t hold their husband’s hands.

Some people hold me accountable and don’t even know it.

Could be a well-timed question, a subtle test of beliefs, their example, even a long-dead philosopher that I can’t stop quoting.

I love them for that and more.

Then there’s my wife, who recently said to me over dinner, “I want you to hold me accountable.”

Speechless, I stared at my food.

It was like settling into that cozy theatre chair, excited for what’s to come, only to become wildly disappointed when I realized I didn’t like the movie.

She’s perceptive. She noticed. She said, “what’s wrong?”

I searched for the words, knowing I had little chance to proceed without worsening things.

“I don’t think I can do that,” I said, settling.