To understand responsibility

What does responsibility mean? Dictionaries will give you these definitions--obligation, reliability, dependability, and answerability. A few days back, I was shown a new perspective of what it means.

I was horribly late for a class (I am usually late, but this time it's kinda unforgiven). Hehe. Anyways, I was late and the teacher was awfully mad at me. After she dismissed the class, she called me to see her. She asked why I was late. I told her I had a Student Council meeting and I had to stay up late last night studying for a test on that day. And I overslept. I was hoping that she would let me go because the meeting "excuse". And this was what she told me; "Being in the Student Council doesn't make you special over the other students. In any way. Being here (in class) at 8 am, sharp, is your responsibility and you have to fulfil it no matter what happened last night or the night before. Being a student council committee member is a choice that you made. If being a student council committee hinders you from completing your responsibility, then you should think of letting the position go."

It was a cute ('coz the teacher is kinda cute) but painful slap in the face, but she was certainly right. Allah has been trying to teach me about the meaning of responsibility 5 times a day since the first time I learnt about solat (and that was like 18 years ago) but I never realized about it until that day. Solat is your responsibility and no matter what happens, you still have to carry it out. If you're sick, you still need to do solat but Allah has provided you with options to facilitate you. Kalau you musafir pun, there are options to help you carry out your "responsibility". Even when you're in a war, you have to carry out solat and options are provided to ease you up.

"A responsibility is something that you're committed to and have to carry out in all situations."