Committed?

We just returned from eleven days of vacation, eight of which were spent on a cruise ship with 3000 people from all over the world. Three of those 3000, we’ve cruised with yearly now for 3 years. Strangers, until that first cruise, we chat on-line throughout the year, then meet for a week each year and enjoy each other’s company. This year we met two more couples. The nine of us would eat together each night and spend our time together at the ports our ship visited. We all share a common interest ---cruising.

This unique and fun relationship got me to thinking. How is it that we can spend one week a year with otherwise complete strangers, enjoying their company and seemingly, them enjoying ours? I’ve decided it comes down to commitment. We were all committed to spending a delightful week together with the common goal of having fun, rest and relaxation.

Commitment is the beginning place of getting to know the needs and desires of those around us. When we are together seeking a common goal, we will go beyond the natural tendencies of taking care of our own needs and begin seeing what we can do for those who share that commitment. With cruising, the commitment is easy. It’s all about recreation. There’s not a lot of opportunity for discord, or disagreements. And while it’s fun for a week, as cruising buddies, we only know a part of each other. Unlike a lot of you, these people don’t know and share in the disappointments, heartaches, and failures I’ve experienced as a mom and wife.

So, my fellow blog readers, family and friends, thank you for being committed to sticking with me the remaining 354 days of the year. I look forward to growing through the mess-ups and victories of life with the common goal of living each day and loving each other to the fullest!

Or, maybe, this makes no sense, and I just need to be institutionally committed? ;-)

PS - We had a lot of fun!