com•mit'•ment, noun
1. a pledge or promise. 2. the act of committing. 3. the state of being committed.
Participating in voluntary social and community work is not foreign to me. The company I worked with fostered in us the value of taking an active role in making a difference in the communities where we work and live. So we would regularly reach out to and form relationships with nonprofit organizations, civic groups, educational institutions, and local governments representing the diverse nature of these communities.
But every time I sign up, I make sure that the tasks assigned to me would be those that do not require me to interact directly with anybody. Running for a cause, tree-planting, house-building, and cleaning up the bay are perfect for me. Grunt work, yes, but it also means I do not have to talk to strangers. Or entertain them. Or exchange stories with them.
This could be because I cannot tolerate mediocrity - I expect the best from the people around me. Or because I am not comfortable with weak and vulnerable people - I wouldn't know how to act around them.
I knew, however, that I am about to break this rule of mine.
I have, after all, committed myself to the Chasters' Voice of Love.
So before the event, I did my research in order to at least have an idea what to expect and what is expected from me. I became fast friends with Mr. Google and Ms. YouTube. Dapithapon, GMA NewsTV Channel 11 Reel Time's five-part documentary on the struggles of the Filipino elderly, opened my eyes and tugged at my heartstrings for days that I could not even string a few sentences together to blog about it. Now I can.
Last Sunday, I finally went to Golden Acres with the commitment to make a difference.
I vowed not to cry.
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