I don't take those kinds of things seriously, what people say, unless they're putting a ring on my finger (making an oath), or we're being shot at (priorities!).
Anything less than vows before God & the Taxman, or the only other option is death (aka the absolute highest priority they could possibly have)? I take as a statement of intent. :D
- They would like to be there for me... As I would for them... But when the rubber meets the road? They may have a sick kid (and their duty of care falls to them looooooong before me!), or have to work, or be in a depression, or on vacation, or having surgery, or be puking into a toilet, or be out of state, or at a meeting, or dealing with a colicky baby, or in-laws, or on thin ice at work, celebrating a birthday, etc. I find the whole concept of assuming that I am anyone's highest priority at all times (aka drop whatever they're doing the moment I need/want) a bit Queen of the World ;). The only person who rates "drop everything" in my own life is my child, and even there? There are practical limits. Need? Yes. Want? Maybe. So I can hardly hold others to a standard I don't hold myself to! To my mind, it's a mutual respect kind of thing.
- Exact same token, just the flip side, what does "be there" entail? Open ended promises, when situations and capabilities change over time, I take with an even larger grain of salt. As a matter of fact, unless someone is stupid-in-love with me, or still a child themselves (thinking wanting makes it so, or that no one would ever ask more of them than they can give), people who make these kinds of statements make me exceptionally wary. Either they are exceptionally naïve, or very careless with their speech.
