Can you commit?

With wedding fever in the air at the moment, it has really got me thinking about commitment and making the decision to stick with something or someone for the long haul.

I think commitment is a wonderful thing - saying to yourself 'yep this is too much of a good thing for me to give up, so I'm going to hold on to it', and I am a big believer in it.

When my fiancée and I recently met with the priest who would be marrying us, he questioned us about our commitment to each other, asking questions like 'do you promise to love one another' and 'are you committed to this marriage in the eyes of God' etc. It's such a personal thing, and to hear yourself say the words out loud 'I do' seems to cement it even more so.

Father even asked us if we'd had the chance to be with other people (after we told him we'd been together for ten years this year) and even though some couples spend time apart to get their priorities straight, I think in your heart that it's the unwavering commitment you have made to that person that brings you back together. It's hard to forget.

I think the same goes for some other relationships, like a friendship that has lasted for years, but had seemingly dried up due to busy lives and no time to catch up and have a coffee. It's the history and the ties that bind you with that other person that can help to revive a special friendship. You never forget what you had and the level of commitment you had to each other.

As we enter the new financial year and it's all business, finances, taxes and a new marketing scheme for my company, I find myself thinking about my commitment to my work ethic. I have always wanted to be a journalist and even though times have been a little tough lately (I will blame the GFC) I have re-confirmed to myself that even though I may not always be in the media industry, I will always be committed to writing. It’s a passion that I’m not willing to give up for anything.

Commitment to making change is an admirable thing.

I admire people who are committed to quitting a bad habit whether it be smoking, gambling or the drink – making that decision to make your life better in some way isn’t always as easy as it sounds.

I guess that some people have larger commitments than others, but that hardly matters in the big scheme of thing. I think anyone prepared to make a commitment to something, big or small, is a pact that we make with ourselves that we will stick it out no matter the stormy weather.