A promise is said to be a form of assurance that someone makes, pledging to do something for someone. A person can also promise to stop doing a particular unpleasant thing. Whichever way it is, a promise is universally considered as a debt. Once you make a promise to someone,that person's expectation rises and focuses on you, the promiser of the promise hehe.
I rarely make promises because I don't want to be indebted to anybody. Before I utter the words I promise to anyone, I make sure that I can fulfill that promise I want to make, otherwise I won't.
The promise I made and broke happened about thirteen years ago. A church member had pleaded with me for financial assistance for a certain project in school. I was working at the time and so I promised to send her the money at the end of the month.
I was quite confident as I made that promise but something happened and I ended up breaking my promise. The thing that happened was that my boss didn't pay up that month's salary as expected. He was out of the country and he said we would have to wait for him to come back.
I was like let's wait for a week and he'll be back but I was shocked with his absence that lasted three whole months. I was borrowing money from other friends and colleagues hoping that when my boss comes he will pay but the man used us to flex.
I felt so bad whenever I saw my church member’s call that at a point, I stopped picking up. She later stopped calling but I still feel guilty about it till date. My boss returned after three months only to pay us one month's salary which I used in offsetting some accrued debts on ground then.
Although my reason was justified, I still felt bad about not keeping that promise. I later called to explain and apologize to her and all went well but that taught me a lesson to not be quick to release promises.
There used to be this thing we did as children towards the festive period like Christmas. We would buy promise cards and then look for adults to promise us gift items or money. They would sign their name and state the date for fulfilling the promise. I took my card to my neighbour's to sign which they did but when it was time to fulfill it, they began cooking up stories. One aunty even gave me a plate of rice in exchange for her two hundred naira promise. As a child, the thing was painful but I swallowed my saliva.
The unfulfilled promise that really broke me was the one made by a pastor in the church I fellowshipped with at that time. This man asked me how much my school fees was and before the entire congregation, he promised to give me the money. I was in my second year attending the University of Lagos (Unilag). I was very happy that I put aside my own plans for saving for my school fees and began focusing on other projects.
When the time came for school fees payment, I went to his office to see him but I met his secretary and because I was familiar with his secretary, I wrote down the purpose of my visit and handed the note to his secretary. I asked him to please pass on the message to my pastor which he agreed.
On getting there two days later to find out the latest update,I met his secretary again who told me that my pastor wants to give me the money but as a loan charged with interest. He brought out some documents asking me to sign them if I agreed. I was shocked but I refused to sign. I left his office and ever since then, this pastor began spreading rumours about me, claiming that I was proud and refused help
Thankfully, I relocated from that area and from his manipulation. I sources for my school fees elsewhere but ever since then, I take my time and weigh my options before hoping on people's promises.
A promise deferred makes the heart sick.
Thank you all for reading.
Image source : Meta Ai
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