It’s that time of year when our thoughts turn to new beginnings.  We start looking forward to shedding the baggage from the previous year and replacing it with fresh beginnings in the New Year.  As we go through this process, we make ourselves promises that this time…..well, this time around will be better.

At times we make resolute our “promises” thus creating resolutions.  You’ve heard them -- may have even uttered them yourselves: going to start [back] working out….be more fiscally responsible…take the next step in my career….stop sleeping with the wrong damn some bodies….take a bad relationship off life support…or find someone to love.

Find someone to love?  Umm, that sounds nice….think I’ll put that on my list. 

This is my pledge:

I, Ms. Dashon do hereby make resolute my decision to share love, and open myself to being loved.  Being of comprehensible mind & exposed heart; I do hereby pledge the following:

I will take this journey with a light heart.  Not taking myself too seriously, nor my quest to give & receive love.  Throwing the scripts & flowcharts in the trash and just going with the flow.

I will clean my ears daily, so that I can really hear what’s being said.  I admit, I hear…hell I even comprehend the majority of it; but I’ve realized, that many times I’ve chose an attitude of indifference -- so that I wouldn’t have to deal with the negative emotions of being let down.  Sometimes our mindsets really do become self-fulfilling prophecies.    Note to self:  Stack up on Q-tips.

I will not engage MY weapons of mass destruction.  I will use my words to build rather than tear down.  Words have been my weapon of choice when on the defensive or made to feel unsafe.  I will work to modify my use of “word swords” as a friend once called them.   I can’t promise that I won’t slip, or that I’ll never use them, but I will work toward using them only when they can help or heal...Him…Me...or Us.  

I will put in the sweat equity.  A large part of the reason I’ve shied away from actually opening up to love was because I wasn’t ready to do the work.  Having been down that road, I have a pretty good outline of the type of work a sound relationship requires.  Previously, I haven't been ready to share my world, compromise, and if needed…sacrifice.  I wasn’t ready to submit, or to have a man spiritually lay claim to my body. 

I am ready, willing & able to do my part for love now.  I am strong…but I neither desire nor possess the strength of a man.  I am a woman; I like being in that lane.   If my plan’s in alignment with the Creator’s plan…then yeah…

I’m ready for love.

Anybody else adding love to their promises/resolutions for 2010?  If so, what do you pledge on love’s behalf?