Hello 2021! January presents us with PROMISE.

Is it a universal coincidence that while embarking on writing this months’ chapter blog, Spotify’s Discover Weekly delivers me the catchy tune of “Old Love” by the songwriter Joe Hertler?

I think not.

‘And a promise is a promise, Will you finish what you started, I was born to believe that the change in the leaves could really mean anything, love’

January presents us with PROMISE.

A promise of a new year (Happy New Year by the way!).

A promise of new beginnings.

A promise of a new perspective.

What is a promise? It is the idea that we stick to doing something or not doing something because we said we would. But why? What is the value and impact of being individuals of our word?

I have found that discussions around this topic go in either one of two directions - love or politics (personal or external). Oooh yes! Enter Promise on the stage and the audience is usually already set for some hefty debates with whoever finds themselves the speaker. 

‘Why all the emotive listening?’ you ask. Well just perhaps it is because; as our Albanian CM community, who chose this topic for us to ponder on stated; ‘promises that are made and kept are exchanges of power’

Life is unpredictable. We are constantly living through change and so we find ourselves often ‘breaking’ promises. It’s become okay to do so in a way. Right or wrong. That is possibly why deeper, more binding oaths developed over time. That kind that you never break. No matter the circumstances. 

So, then in actual fact there are three discussions on this topic. The last kind of promise being the kind that protects you. It’s the family or internal code you honour in times of fear. 

Joe Tetler knew it too, as he continues to sing:

‘We met on the battlefield, Drank from the ladle by the moon

The blood expanded across the field, Like chrysanthemums in bloom

Is there really so much to fear, When we’re all just taking sides’

Love. Politics. Fear. 

Seems like an apt grey positioning for politics to exist between those polarities. But... that’s a topic for another day.

In the Albanian culture, they understood this oath of honour. It is seen as a divine promise. They call it ‘Besa’.

The word seems to be related to the medieval Latin we understand today as ‘faith’. To the Albanians, if you are faithful, you are ‘besnik’ - having an internal compass that leads you to conduct yourself in a way that is committed - to yourself and to others. Others being the inner circle. 

So why did the Albanians create this concept? 

This brings us back to the necessity of allegiance and the guarantee that when times get tough, you will have the unity you need to remain safe. Ultimately to remain free. 

The Albanian tribes swore besas to uphold alignment within their tribes in order to be united in their fight against the Ottoman government for independence and autonomy. And the Ottoman government even sealed agreements with the tribes using Besas. 

Basically, Besas equalled agreement - a central union of consent enhancing both political power and communal power. Something we could possibly term today as: Public-people-partnership. 

Yes, indeed we need to keep those promises to enable a balance of power.

‘I’ll go to the forest with a samurai sword, And I’ll spill out all of my love’

So whether romantic or political or to save your butt - There is truth in the saying: ‘Choose your tribe, love them hard.’ Or as the Albanians might say... 

‘Find your Besa & Be Besnik’

We will be hosting our first speaker for 2021 in February. 

See you there!