...
"Not if you're a passenger of a prison van?"
You are the root cause for your being in that position.
so, if you have done something to cause you to be in that
van, then you have had a hand in not only the direction,
speed, and the destination.. but also the mode in which
you get there.
Quoting: Elfsong Had a hand in does not equate to in control of.
It is certainly possible to have a hand in something that later becomes out of your control, yet you are still subject to it's control.
Watering the seed does not control the direction in which the branches grow.
And so forth.
Felt like elaborating more on this and putting aside the vehicle metaphor in favour of the tree.
The tree is free to grow and change as best it can in the environment it exists despite it having no say in how it ended up in that environment nor what the environment is or how it acts, it is still free to act as best it can though.
Entirely different is the case of the bonsai, it's seed is planted, watered, wrapped in wire, trimmed, cut, twisted, warped and shaped. At no point is it given chance to grow as best it feels suited to the environment, the responsibility is entirely upon those who are guiding it's every moment to an end they say fit to look upon.
The end result may be one of beauty, though that is in the eye of the beholder and any number of other shapes - including a natural, free grown one - may appeal to any number of observers. Not to mention the smol tree itself.
So whilst the bonsai may have his roots there and grows as best it can within the environment, the one with the wire and clippers has become entirely responsible for the outcome. Is the one who planted the seed or the tree responsible if the result is not to the gardeners liking?
