Keeping a promise when plans change

Being someone others can count on is one of the most valuable things you can offer, and it is well within reach for all of us.

Keeping your word is a principle Freemasonry has always held close. It sounds simple, but real life gets in the way. You promise to help a friend move house on Saturday, and then your car fails its MOT on Friday afternoon.

When plans change, the kindest thing is to say so early. Ringing on Friday evening gives your friend time to ask someone else. Sending a text at nine on Saturday morning leaves them standing with a van and a pile of boxes.

It also helps to offer what you still can. You might not be there to carry the sofa, but you could come over on Sunday to help unpack the kitchen.

Over time, people learn that when you say yes, you mean it, and that when something goes wrong, you will tell them straight away. That is what makes someone reliable.

It also makes it easier to say no at the start. If you are already stretched, an honest 'I can't this weekend' is a kinder answer than a hopeful yes you may not keep.

This is one of the principles at the heart of The Masonic Way, and it is open to anyone who wants to practise it.