Humans are so fickle; we change our desires on a whim, and look at duty as a four-letter-word. "Duty? How profane and commonplace." We scoff, thinking it beneath us. Or, on the other side of the coin, above us.
It was harder than we dreamed
But I believe that's what the promise is for
Duty is what needs to drive us. We are selfish creatures, all seeking for our own satisfaction. Yeah, you may help the poor, volunteer at a shelter for animals, or any other thing on the list of commonly accepted "Good Things", but why? Because it makes you feel good. What if that feeling disappeared? Would you still do it? Probably not. But duty. Responsibility. That is what would drive you on. You are responsible for the poor, sick, and homeless. It is your duty.
Likewise, it is your duty to stay pledged to the one you say you love. It astonishes me that divorce and cheating is so rampant in this society. When did it become unheard of to stay with the person you married? You've been married for 25 years and still love each other? Wow. Surprising, you kept your wedding vows.
It was harder than we dreamed
But I believe that's what the promise is for
That's a line from a song titled "Dancing in the Minefields" by Andrew Peterson. Why do most people not hold this view anymore? It was a promise, and in the innocence we had as kids we believed promises were absolute. When did that stop? Should we not do that which we promise?
We need to make the choice to keep love alive in our relationships. It's not a feeling, it's actions. "I love you" means a lot less coming from someone who is never there for you, or leaves when the going is rough. That's what the promise is for, to keep you going when you think your feelings have changed. You'll never know your true love until you make it through the rough patches, so stick it out: there's happiness on the other side.
