As part of my Chapter X, I’ve been exploring ideas for activities that are meaningful to me.
One opportunity is a volunteer mentoring program for those who are trying to emerge from poverty. Participation requires a commitment of one evening per week. On the face of it, it sounds very doable, however, I need to weigh other aspects of my life with this worthy endeavor.
I’m also looking into playing more with community bands and orchestras, which also demands a commitment of time. By asking for help, I discovered there’s a community band in my town. Why didn’t I know about this before? The answer is simple: it was newly formed a year before the pandemic.
In communications with the music director, I was informed that I could join the band in preparation for their October concert. I was really excited about it until I realized that I’ll be away at a conference in Portland at the same time.
Ugghhh…nothing is easy, right?
My wife and I are talking about learning to play bridge. The commitment is several hours, online, on Mondays for twelve weeks. That’s just to name a few of the paths, alleyways, and roads that require time and commitment.
Making these decisions are difficult for me as it creates possible conflicts between what I want and what I believe. I’ve always been aligned with the idea that when I say ‘yes’ to something, I will give it my all. Which bumps squarely against the commitment of ‘I’m only going to do things that bring me joy, learning and meaning.’
So how do I navigate the two ideas… commitment vs. commitment? Have you dealt with this?
Share your experiences if you will.
