Oaths of Old, Promises Anew

    There's a requirement of soldiers to renew their Oath of Enlistment (throughout their career) every time they sign a new service contract. For those of you who are curious, it goes as follows.

    I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God." 

    I have sworn this Oath three times so far in my military career.

    What if we, as individuals, upheld and reminded ourselves of the promises that we make on our own; whether they be to guide us personally, or cater to the ones we are loyal to? And I don't mean simply on New Years as a Resolution. I mean any time we find ourselves at a crossroads or a fork in the rapid rivers of life that we so often travel. That if we ever feel off course, unbalanced, or unsteady, we remind ourselves of the oaths we swore to keep us vigilant. 

    I often wonder how my life would have been had I been more faithful to myself. What if I had I upheld my own commitments I had made after pulling myself up from my bootstraps, time and time again? Maybe doing so comes with age, which often coincides with learned wisdom. I have repeatedly broken my own oaths of old and have consequently paid the price for it dearly. So today, I will rewrite promises anew. Maybe this time they will stick.

    Trust in people, but don't trust people too much. Share your wealth, but do not share all of your wealth. Be kind, but show no weakness. Be strong, but approachable. And love freely, but do not love with abandon.

    What better a time to build the foundation of a stronger self with a new mantra, than on a journey to San Antonio?