Broken Promises

We must not promise what we ought not, lest we be called on to perform what we cannot.  ~Abraham Lincoln

Ah...how many promises have been broken?  Too numerous to count, I would imagine.  How easy "I promise" rolls off the tongue.
 
Some people make promises they never intended to keep.  While others, they make promises with the best of intent.  Some ask for promises that can never be fulfilled, yet, the other promises "with all my heart."  Some broken promises are life changers, while others broken rarely are seen.  Some promises are next to impossible to ever be, but yet, one makes the promise -- I wonder if they knew it was a broken promise as soon as it was said? Some might say that circumstances changed or something happened along the way; it is still a broken promise to the one you were looking at as you said it. 

Then, there are the infamous "pinky" promises that are never to be broken.  And there is the "spit in the hand and shake" promise; again, with very powerful unbreakability factors. And my favorite, "sealed with a kiss" promise; the kiss itself being the biggest promise.

How many promises can be broken before one stops believing?  How many promises can be broken before your word means nothing?  How many more promises will be broken before the lesson is learned? 

I know someone who asked someone to promise them that they would live to be 90 years old.  The promise was made.  Can that even really be called a promise?  A promise is a declaration that you will do (or not do) something specific.  Given you have control to do it.  You can not control who lives to be 90 and who does not.  I would imagine if I promised to live to 90, I would give it all I had and I would try my hardest, but in the end, if I failed, I broke a promise. My word.  

Ah, my word.  How important that phrase is -- "I give you my word."  Why do some people just take "your word" because you gave it to them? Faith perhaps?  Too much trust?  I am one of those people who will take your word.  If you tell me something and make a promise and give me your word...I believe you.  Even if you failed me once before, or even twice, I will still believe in you and still believe that this time will be different.  Sometimes this leads to major disappointment; sometimes not.  

I have broken many a promise -- 
     I promise to take you and your sister to the park today.  
     I promise to call.  
     I promise we will go to lunch next week. 
     I promise to get out and about this weekend. 

Of course, there are many a promise kept -- 
    I promise to love you forever. 
    I promise to do my very best.  
    I promise to keep in touch.  
    I promise to always be here for you.  

So, what is the moral of the story?  Don't make promises?  Don't accept promises?  Promise and try your best?  Promise and forget it existed?  I don't know, really.  I will continue to accept promises and continue to believe they will be fulfilled and I will continue to make promises and try my best to keep them.  Really, what more can one ask? 

I promise to write another blog soon. 

XOXO