Promises

If there is anything I want my son to learn in this life, it's the importance of keeping promises. There was a time once when if you told someone you were going to do something, you didn't need a legal, binding contract or to sign on any dotted line. You didn't need to look for or read the fine print. You didn't need to worry about retaining a lawyer in case someone didn't follow through with their promises. Someones word was once their bond.

Unfortunately we live with dishonest people all around us and there really isn't anything we can do about their dishonesty. However, we can be true to ourselves and be true to the promises that we make with others.

Robert Frost has always been one of my favorite classic poets. One poem titled, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" is one that I have always like. I'm not sure if I interpreted it different than Mr. Frost intended. But I took from it that there will always be situations trying to pull us away from keeping our promises. But we have to be true to ourselves and to others. We have to do what we say we are going to do and do it in a timely manner without dragging our feet. These words are often in my mind when I think of fulfilling promises.

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

-Robert Frost