This month of November, I’ve committed to posting every day. This does not feel like an onerous obligation to me, since I’ve chosen to post once a day since January 1, 2013.
I’ve determined that daily posting is not an obligation to anybody else, but rather a personal commitment to growth and healing.
Obligations feel a lot different than choices, don’t they?
Yesterday, my therapy group decided to discuss the topic of “obligations.” Here’s something Olivia, the social work intern, shared with the group participants:
Since I told Olivia I was going to include her drawing in today’s blog, I’ve now fulfilled that obligation. I also choose to explain that Olivia did a great job, yesterday, describing how hidden and unclear obligations make it more challenging to be obliging.
It’s not my obligation to share with you what I shared with the group yesterday, but I am choosing to show you this:
What are your thoughts and feelings about obligations?
I wonder who will feel obligated to respond if I ask which of these photos best represents the word “obligations”?
I feel obligated to tell you that this photo best represents obligations, for me …
… because it says “WASH ME.”
This photo
… could also represent new and daunting obligations to me, since those are the keys to my office, in Newton, Massachusetts. From now on, for one year, I have an obligation to pay rent for that space. However, providing group therapy in any location feels more like a privilege, to me, than an obligation.
Do I have an obligation to my readers to include music in this post? Do you have an obligation to listen?
I hope you know you’re not obligated to listen to all of Antonio Vivaldi‘s Early Concertos for “Violincello Obligato.”
Obligatory AND sincere thanks to all who helped me create today’s post and special thanks to you — of course! — no matter what your obligations are, today.