When you sit down and think only about yourself, you get very depressed. If your thoughts meander around the subject, “what about me, what will happen to me?” then, sorrow and misery enter your soul. The path to expansion from the individual to the universal consciousness is to share the sorrows and joys of others. As you grow, your consciousness should also grow. When your knowledge expands with time, then there is no depression. Your innermost essence is joy. To overcome personal misery, one must share in the universal misery. And to expand personal joy, one must share in the universal joy. Instead of thinking, “what can I gain from this world?” think, “what can I do for the world?” When everyone thinks about contributing to society, then you have a divine society. We have to educate our individual consciousness in order to expand and grow with from, “what about me?” to “what can I contribute to society?”
A commitment can only be felt when it oversteps convenience. That which is convenient, is not called a commitment. If you work only as per your convenience, your commitment falls apart causing inconveniences to many. If you keep dodging your commitments because it is inconvenient, will you be comfortable? Often, what is convenient does not bring comfort, but only gives an illusion of comfort. Whatever you are committed to, brings you strength. If you are committed to your family then your family supports you, if you are committed to your society, you enjoy the support of society. If you are committed to god, then god gives you strength. If you are committed to truth, it brings you strength.
Often, one is not aware of this idea and that is why one is hesitant to commit to a greater cause. Also, there is a fear that commitment will weaken one or take away one’s freedom. To the wise, their commitments are their comfort. Whenever their commitment is shaken, their comfort is also shaken. For the lazy, commitment is torture, though in reality, it is the best remedy. Your commitment to a cause is bound to bring you comfort in the long run.
Are there any commitments that can be given up? Commitments made with shortsightedness can be given up because when you are committed without a vision, you feel stifled when your vision expands. When your commitment brings misery to many in the long run, it can be given up. Just like you run out of fuel in the car and you have to refill it again and again, in the same way, your dedication and commitment can run out in the course of time and it needs constant renewal. Commitment in life can lead to growth toward a higher cause. The higher the commitment, the greater is the good for all.