Promises

He promised he would be forever faithful. He vowed he would never fail her. He took an oath that he would, and that he wouldn’t. 

Though not always sufficiently or successfully, when promises serve as reminders, they support us in the struggle.

The daily struggle, with the unforeseen, the unexpected, the surprising, the unfathomable. That which can make us forget the promises, the vows, the oaths, the ‘forevers’ and the ‘never evers.’

But promises imprison, bind, can strangle.

Humbling, humiliating at times how we slip, and fall, and fail to keep our promises.

He truly didn’t mean to hurt her. But hunger is older, and was stronger than restraint. 

They once promised to stay together, to stay in their union, in good times and bad times. Can they? Would they? Will they?

He regretted breaking their promise, breaking her heart. He was sorry, he felt sorrow.

He promised it would not happen again.