Cornering Commitment

Questions about commitment have been taking up occupancy in my mind for a while now. I'm talking about commitment as a whole - the idea of giving oneself over to some one, some thing, some place, or some way of being.

I enjoy the occasional Starbucks chai latte, especially when I'm in good company. Over the past week or so, I had the privilege of visiting Starbucks with my parents and another time with friends. Why am I telling you all this? I felt it appropriate seeing as the "The Way I See It" quote on the back of my grande cup was the same both times. Oh, and it spoke on committment.

It went:
"The irony of commitment is that it's deeply liberating - in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life."
-- Anne Morris

Miss Morris has a point. I have been so caught up in uncertainly lately relating to work and what it is exactly that I am doing with my life that I've missed out on the freedom that comes from picking one thing and committing to it. It might sound unlikely, but my recent trip to Disney World served as a reminder of the joy that can come out of commitment. The trip was just an idea until Lou and I committed to it and made it a reality. We had so much fun! Of course, Disney World isn't real life (unless you're Mickey Mouse), but the commitment that was made to the experience was real. This quote has helped me to realize that I don't need to know exactly what it is that I want to do for the rest of my life right now. Instead, I can reflect on the fact that freedom that comes with commitment. I hate being on the fence about things and will admit that I sometimes have a hard time making decisions. I can barely decide what I want for breakfast - and dinner? Forget it! But I am learning that committing to something doesn't mean that there are no other options. Without committing, how will I ever learn what I like or dislike? How would I have ever learned these things if it wasn't for committment? When I become discouraged about committment and feel as if I am riding the fence, it's encouraging to remember all of the committments (however big or small) I have chosen to make in the past. We all have committed to something, even if its been the choice not to commit to anything. But oh! The freedom that must come out of saying no to hesitation and yes to whatever it is that we commit ourselves to!

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." -Proverbs 16:3