Often, when I think of the word commitment I think of marriage: two people making a decision to abide by a certain code, embrace love, and share a common goal through their relationship and hopefully, throughout their life time.
But commitment is not just about marriage, it is about most everything in life, and there are times when I must look at my own commitment to people, ideals, goals, direction and decide what codes I am willing to abide by, what emotions I am willing to embrace, what goal I am ready to pursue so that I can commit.
If I am committed to making a relationship work then what does that mean?
What am I willing to do to succeed with another person?
What am I unwilling to put up with? Deal with? Do I have limits when it comes to my love?
Am I able to put in the time this person will need to make them feel wanted, cared for, secure in our relationship?
Am I willing to put their needs above my own at times if necessary?
Do I have the means to share my life with them spiritually, physically, financially?
Often times, I might commit to things in life: in relationships, friendships, jobs, education, without stopping to think what amount of commitment it will take from me to follow through.
It is easy to say “I commit” …to be caught up in a moment of joy, passion, or excitement and promise to commit to a person, and ideal, a goal, or a direction.
But I know today… that when I choose to commit… I must first spend quiet, contemplative time, and focus on my spiritual footwork to decide if I am truly willing to follow through on that commitment and that path.
–
“Dear God, help me to be true to my word and pure in my intent. When I choose to commit help me to follow through.”
Very true and great questions!
thx for sharing
Thank you Joy 🙂
Commitment entered into our discussion of divorce — neither one of us ever had a doubt in each other, until “things changed”…. When he broke the trust, he knew that be would something very difficult to overcome.
And assumed it couldn’t…
I accepted this because I knew divorce was the right thing, despite my broken heart and grief.
I really cared, stayed the course with working, care-giving after accidents and surgeries, putting things together, and back together, financially.
I’ve always felt that a person “is their word”. I went with that and stayed with it during our marriage. When that code fell apart earlier this year,
I recognize that I learned the hard way and have to move through this.
– I have to understand more clearly what I can commit to, why, how, etc.
What a great post in how you expressed this so wisely and clearly!
So true Patricia….
Patricia, if you have time to comment to Helene (she posted on December 2nd) I think she would appreciate your words of wisdom. 🙂 D.