The Paradoxes of Commitment

Standing Firm yet Flexible Through Life's Tides

Photo by Anete Lusina from Pexels

“Commitment is healthiest when it is not without doubt but in spite of doubt.” — Rollo May

What does it mean to commit? At first glance, commitment seems clear-cut — we pledge ourselves to a person, goal, or ideal. By committing, we plant our feet amidst life’s whirlwinds.

But peer beneath the surface and commitment is less straightforward and more paradoxical. Like waves crashing against rocks, commitment is multi-layered and complex. To swim its waters, we need discernment to navigate the tides.

Real commitment requires both anchoring and fluidity. We must feel free to choose it, not be cornered into sacrificing autonomy. Yet also constrained enough to withstand the storms. Too much rigidity and we grow brittle, liable to snap. Too much looseness and our sails go limp. Commitment is that exquisite balance between freedom and restraint, like a firm but gentl…