the freedom to break a promise gives it meaning

Source: the dispossessed by ursula k leguin

p. 345 Interesting conception of a promise. To odo, a promise has validity even if it's temprorary. The freedom to break the promise gives it meaning, since it's a totally voluntary "self limitation fo choice." Choice like this means a direction is being taken. Without direction, there's no change. To not use either is to waste the freedom inherent to life.