Promises

(A thought-provoking poem. One of my favourites: woven with frankness, and raises some fundamental questions. I hope anyone who reads this is a better person for the experience.)

In all the years of your life,
Have you ever bothered to pause
And count the promises you’ve broken?
It is likely you never have, because –
Words are but a token,
A sample, of greater things,
That do not get translated into reality;
They are like mere strings,
The matter of detachment a triviality.

Rarely do you find a man of his word,
Whose every single utterance
Is locked with truth and sincerity
Who realizes the importance
Of speaking with full honesty
And acting according to his words.
Such a man you can trust
For all you can see are his true colours;
It would be hard to disbelieve him even if you must.

Every time you take someone’s help,
You are making a promise
To be equally forthcoming
When he needs yours;

Every time you say
‘Yes’, ‘Okay’ or ‘Later’,
You are making a promise
To do something you should.

Every time you pray,
You are making a tacit promise
To be honest and righteous
And ‘good’ in its traditional sense.

The worst kind of promise to break
Is when you actually swear to do something,
And find yourself unable to;
Does your heart not sting
When you cannot come through,
Be it due to your own fault,
Or circumstances beyond your control?

So think before you speak,
For when you do not keep your word
You hurt others as well as yourself;
Until you cultivate this quality
You can never truly be happy.