If it isn’t you, then who? Who will take up the flag? Who will rally the troops? Who will step in to fill the void? Who will take the initiative that is required, according to the circumstances in which you find yourself? True warriors train for such an opportunity, for they know that it is only sometimes in our nature to step up and be counted. The true warrior knows that others have an impact on us at a primordial level, and so do the circumstances.

Our responses can range from rushing in to help—heedless of the danger—and being frozen in place, also heedless of the danger. Training, practice, desire, and compunction can mitigate these natural tendencies to be a neutral, uninvolved bystander. But what about responding with greatness to personal indignities, rudeness, littering, bigotry, immaturity, and other social ills? If it isn’t you, then who?

The true warrior isn’t prepared to allow the perfection of the day to be marred, managed, or damaged by events or circumstances. The true warrior can impact those circumstances and events, and take action. The true warrior is the one who will act, the one who will step up to the plate, the one who can be counted on to do the right thing—regardless of how anyone else behaves—and is also the first one to say as much. The true warrior is not willing to ethically compromise.

You are warriors. Practice stepping up to the plate, for many are called but few are chosen. So it has been written.