Commitment

To me, the word commitment tends to be overused or maybe the definition has changed and I didn't get notice. It seems like many of the places I work, or the daycare my child attends, or the school system has a different definition of commitment. I worked at a private school and I quickly learned about the influence of politics on the business world; however, not until I had Trenton did I realize just how much the lack of commitment people have to their responsibilities upsets me.

What brings this all about is the fact that I am leaving work and looking at changing some things in my life...my last full-time day is July 29th. I hope to stay on as a part-time employee through December, but we will see if that happens. Irregardless, I had someone ask me the other day if I really was positive I was leaving. At first I thought they meant this as a compliment, but then I got to thinking - it is easier for them if I don't leave, but I made a commitment to myself and to my husband that I would complete school and do what I love for a career, to me, that is something serious. So, yes, I am sure I am leaving. I am about to be 27 years old and it will only be harder to finish grad school the older I get, so I am leaving.

Marriage, that is a commitment. Wes and I have been through some difficult times, some times where I didn't really want to see him at all, but you make it because ( I love him) that is a commitment I made, it is a promise I made to my husband. Recently, I have seen the effects of what happens when one person in a marriage had a very skewed and misrepresented definition of commitment. It isn't fair. Should I really have to get my husband to define what commitment means to him? Is it really something where you just decide you want to try something new and do it? No, it is a forever thing - marriage is not easy, but there are very few circumstances for which I would throw in the towel.

The other side of commitment regards policy. I have encountered 3 different instances with 3 different organizations who seem to think that the world is full of gray. I understand there are times to be black and white when it comes to policy and procedure, but I get frustrated with the gray becomes the norm. So what if you are on the Board, your child should be held just as accountable as any child. So what if you think you are entitled because you can drop a name, I really don't care. I guess I am just not jaded enough yet. I see rules and policy as just that. If the rule states something and my child or myself breaks it, then we are to receive the same punishment as any other person. I guess I just don't understand what the exception to the rule has become the rule? What happened to the commitment towards equality?

So, before I am asked to make another commitment, I think it only fair that person asking for the commitment clearly state what their definition of commitment is.