What's on my mind today are obligations. Specifically, the burden of them.
Now sometimes it's good to have obligations. Responsibility to others can organize our lives and provide structure to our days. They can make sure life doesn't just slip by without our ever feeling a sense of accomplishment or meaning. They can help us feel like we fit into and matter to a community.
But there are just too many obligations that are non-productive.
For example, I just bought some property and the realtor wants to give me a gift to thank me for my business. Nice. Unfortunately it has now created the obligation of my going into town to meet up with him to get it. I don't want to go into town.
I didn't want to go yesterday, when originally I had told him I was likely going to go into town to shop, but didn't. Still didn't go today. Have to go tomorrow, since I have an appointment I have to keep and grocery shopping I have to do. So I'll finally arrange to meet up with him then, but it's been hanging over me for days now, this feeling like he's waiting on me to call and say "meet me now."
I only mildly care about the gift itself. Mostly I just want to accept his generosity so that he can have the experience of having his gift appreciated. This is a real obligation, in that we should be considerate of each other like this. It is the least I can do to go get his gift. But I'd rather have no gift and no obligation, honestly.
Or take invites to parties. Geesh, if I had a twenty for every time I got invited to a party I really would rather have stayed home during, I could have retired a year earlier. But depending on how big an occasion it is for the invite (major birthday, wedding, baby shower, etc.) there may be an obligation to attend this "fun" event, even though you really don't find it fun at all.
I could go on, but I'm sure you have your own examples. Emails and calls that need to be returned. Neighbors who drop by and need some meager hospitality extended. Friends on the phone in need of a virtual shoulder to cry on just as you were starting to enjoy a delicious meal. These and so many more things are a part of our obligation to each other as part of a community that cares about one another.
But now you see why I really just want to be a hermit?
Yeah, that pic is of what was once some hermit's cave. I'm going to build my own more luxe version of that.
(Photo source: Pixabay)