I Promise
When I was growing up, there was a toothpaste commercial for a brand "Promise". Every time my sisters would make a causal promise and then not keep it, they would defend their behavior by saying "oh I was only talking about the toothpaste, not an actual promise". It was annoying and hilarious at the same time. With that approach, I don't remember how many times I have used "I promise" in a casual conversation, with or without keeping it, and I never felt that I did anything wrong. Many years went by, and once on a hiking trip with my friends and their kids, I was walking and holding hands with the oldest Arianna, who was 5 years old at the time. We came across a wooden bridge which looked flimsy and very high. Arianna looked back to look at her mother with concern in her eyes, as she was unsure we should go that way. Her mother was walking behind us slowly, with Arianna's younger sister, and looking the other way. I could clearly see Arianna was af