Have not always been a fan of making promise to people, because I know I'm not God, He's the only one that can't fail, no matter how man tries, man can still fail, so about promising people I know it will be in my mind and plan to fulfill the promise but life can happen at any time whereby I'll see myself not being able to fulfill it.
But before I changed from making promise to people something huge happened that made me stop promising people one thing or the other.
Sometime ago I had a close friend in the university, we do have many things in common but then there was a particular year that he had some family issues which made it very difficult for him to pay his school fees and yet our exams was fast approaching. Normally the rule of our school was "no school fees no exam."
This made him ask me on how I can help with some money, he also went to some of our friends. Our school fees then was ninety five thousand naira, about $95. It's not that I have a lot of money with me, but I just felt concerned besides he's my friend, I know if I'm the one in his shoes, he will also do something at least.
But then I'm just a student with no tangible work, I only live with what my parent gave me as feeding and pocket money and then I do some petty jobs sometimes during weekends just to compliment what I'm receiving from home. I don't really have enough money to boast with that I can promise him but I have a brother who already promised me twenty thousand naira so I told my friend that I'll help him with that sum and with this, he's counting on me already.
I called my brother the day he promised to send me the money, but I received a negative response which broke my heart seriously, my brother said he won't be able to send the money because he had an emergency thing that needs to be attended to so I had to wait till next month, meanwhile the next month he was talking about will be too late for my friend to pay his school fee. He's not aware of what I had plan to use the money for, so I can't blame him.
So sad, I don't know how to break this news to my friend that I won't be able to help anymore, funny enough he usually ask me almost everyday not to forget my promise and I do do tell him to put his mind at rest that once I get the money from my brother I would send it to him straight up.
But now things has changed, I was left with no choice to just summoned courage to explain things to him before it gets too late, this was like a week to when the payment of school fees will be closed.
Moment after explaining to him, I saw tears rolling down from his eyes, now I know I've put myself in trouble. I did all I could to console him but it's not even working.
This disappointment almost cost me our friendship but thank God we later get a good Samaritan who borrowed him the money so I just pay back the following month when my brother sent the money he promised.
Fortunately for me, my friend and I are still in good terms but I've learnt my lessons never to promise someone a thing never again, I had say I'll see what I can do or would try my best, but to promise the person I won't, no matter how close we are.
That has been saving me from putting myself into unnecessary pressure and trouble.
It's a bad thing to promise and fail, it's better not to promise at all, remember you're not God, anything can happen that might make you unable to fulfill that promise. I would say think twice before you promise or don't even promise at all.
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