Can a sense of commitment to others be harmful to oneself?
It is possible that some of us have experienced at times this dilemma of wanting to step out of a situation but unable to on account of being responsible towards something else or someone else. Each moment spent in battling with the pros and cons of turning one’s back tightens the noose of accountability making it even more difficult to release oneself. One may ask what good can come out of such a position where one suffers for isn’t one in such an instance incapable of being of any use to anyone or anything? Would it not be better to step away even at the risk of making others pay a heavy price in return or disturbing an already tumultuous equation? Perhaps what stops us is the fear of being judged or accused or belittled.
All this makes one question the purpose of commitment. What does it really mean? Why must one do it? At what point should one commit? A commitment is a promise that one has made towards oneself or another and no clever word play can undo the knot which binds us with it. It is irresponsible to backtrack and there can be no excuses for it. Which essentially means that one must think deep and hard before one commits to anything or anyone, including oneself. Despite that, one may find oneself caught in the same dilemma and at such a moment, it is really a battle of wills. The will to run or the will to stand one’s ground. The battle between thinking of oneself and thinking of someone or something else. Each of us may choose one or the other depending on our nature and personality, but the issue at hand is this: if we cannot stick to our commitments to others or ourselves, how would we ever rustle up the strength to stick to our commitments made to Him who neither judges nor accuses and is far from belittling us?
To commit to the Divine is no mean task but He in all His wisdom has given us a platform and numerous occasions with plenty of time to practice the art of commitment, so that the day we perfect it, we can make an offering of it with all our being. So, to answer our opening question: a sense of commitment, if ‘thoughtfully and sincerely’ exercised, cannot be harmful to oneself – it can only lead us, each time, a step closer to the Divine.
