Keeping my Word

After a very expensive trip to the Post Office yesterday, I have opted out of a number of swaps I planned to join on Swapbot. The way that group is set up is that you can either watch or join the swap and can opt out until the final sign-up date. For awhile, I only joined USA groups because of the postage. And even then, I overloaded my packages with items that my swap partner 'liked' on their profile.

I think it is important for all of us to keep our word when we make commitments, and if we know that life can or has gotten in the way, and we cannot meet our obligations; then, I also believe that it is important to communicate our changed situation. People understand if they know. But if they are on the non-receiving end of a promise, all they can do is speculate. 

Whole studies of this broken promise situation have been done for some time to help us understand why it happens and how to cope. This is well and good, but it comes down to the individual understanding themselves and wanting to make changes so they are not the person breaking their word.

My family gift-giving season usually starts with the eldest Granddaughter's birthday. Easy to splash on some Royal Icing as skeleton bones over horses, cats, and boy cutters. They don't have to be anatomically correct, just close to show the concept.

The pile of outgoing quilts and other projects has grown, and an estimate of shipping costs is high. This pic doesn't include non-quilted items I have for the youngest generation of of kids in my family. 

Long ago, I cashed my 'reality check' about being on a fixed income during the Solstice holidays, and came to see that it was smart to stay within a budget for these things rather than to spend the entire year trying to play catch up for the costs.

Even now, I have a few more projects left to finish that will also need to get shipped out in the next few weeks. I know that my creative eyes are bigger than my resources, and so I fight this battle every year. 

This stage in my creative projects is one that only I know about. No one else knows what is finished or unfinished, planned or spontaneous. 

So the word I keep is to myself. And this is a pretty critical place in my spirit. If I cannot keep my own word to me, however would I expect to keep it to others?

Dropping from extra swaps was a way to reduce stress as well as reduce shipping expenses. The sign-up deadline allowed me to step back without offending anyone, and without giving my word.

Yet, this morning, I find myself almost immobilized by that choice. Its like feeling creatively blocked to take the next steps on all the work I DO have here.  

So I think I am coming to understand when people break their word to me; how they feel, how stress is a factor. Thing is, no matter how much I can speculate and empathize, when someone's word is broken, it has a huge ripple effect touching them and going out in waves to all of us. It is said that talk is cheap, so I am getting on with what I have to do. I need a mailing list so these packages go out on time.