Commitment Issues

When I was seventeen or eighteen, I bought my first cellphone. I didn’t have a job, other than donating plasma, so I didn’t have a lot to spend… I ended up with a red flip-phone that easily fit in my pocket. Pre-paid, no contract, and no long-term commitment. It wasn’t until I was a sophomore in college that I dropped it in a cup at a party and had to move into the world of smartphones.

By now my parents had a family plan with Verizon so I hopped on the “Can you hear me now” bandwagon. No commitment other than with my phone until the upgrade was available. Even the car I leased that year was only a three-year commitment; I was obviously still not okay with long-term assurances.

A few years later, I started to date my now wife, but up until that point I refused to call any girl my girlfriend or commit myself to dating anyone for a long-standing period of time. I don’t know what my commitment issues said about me, but we’re getting to the brighter side of the story relatively soon… I promise.

After college I moved off to Georgia and bought my first car before moving here to Colorado and bought a home. I proposed to my girlfriend of three years, and just three short months later we had a beautiful wedding in the hills near Nashville. A lot of big steps in a short amount of time, but it has all been well worth it.

A little over a month ago or so, my wife and I were having a date-night in Manitou Springs at a winery the night before I had to leave for a month-long work trip. Spontaneously we both went to a tattoo shop and I got my first ever tattoo (we both got identical ones). She assured me multiple times of the implications or, more so, consequences (being teased for matching my wife) to follow. Talk about commitment, but it didn’t matter to me one bit – I was ready. She laughed while nervously giggled (I’ll admit it) as the needle went down.

My wife may be the reason why I’ve changed, noticing it all started when I met her, but I tell those who are like how I used to be, commitment can be all these different things, but to me it is exhilarating and I enjoy my life a lot now. Think about it and start small; or take a huge plunge and trust your gut! It’s up to you.

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