So, I wonder – how would you define commitment? If you ask five different people their definition of commitment, you are likely to get five different answers. For example, when I examined one source, it gave two somewhat opposite definitions. On one hand it stated that it is a state of being dedicated. Well, that sounds good and positive. And then on the other hand it said, that it is an obligation that restricts freedom of action. Hmm – restriction of freedom doesn’t sound promising. So, which definition is correct? They both are.
You see, when I committed myself to my wife, I did both – I dedicated myself to her and by doing so, I was willingly restricting my freedom of action. In other words, I, by my choice, no longer had the freedom to go out and date. If I did, it would nullify my supposed dedication. So, what does commitment look like? Commitment can have many faces and I want to use the next few posts to take a look at some of them.
I recently met with a couple on the verge of divorce. She is running full speed toward the end of the marriage, while he says he absolutely doesn’t want that. He wants them to be 100% committed to each other. In actuality, she might not be opposed to that except that he has promised needed change before, but there is never any follow-through. That lack of doing what he said he would has eroded the very foundation of their relationship.
Therefore, this week’s take-a-way is a simple one – Commitment is – following through on what you said you would do. That sounds easy enough. Let’s try it and see what happens.