"You read it wrong..."

Okay, I cannot tell you HOW many times a student has said that to me!  But here's the deal.  I can really only read it the way you state it!  That is WHY grammar and punctuation are so very important!

But then, every so often, you get a phrase like this: "Keep the promises you make to yourself."

Hmmm...  you have to wonder...  does that mean that if you make a promise, you should keep it to yourself?  (Yes, this is certainly one interpretation.) Or does it mean if you make a promise TO YOURSELF, you should keep it? 

Folks, this is where CONTEXT comes into play!  Okay, IF, for example, you're in mixed, not terribly nice company, I'm going to go with the former--keep it to yourself.  Keep EVERYTHING to yourself.  Don't say ANYTHING to ANYONE about ANYTHING!  lol! 

BUT!!!!! 

If you are, perhaps, eating a Dove Chocolate, and the little affirmation thingie says to  "Keep the promises you make to yourself," I'm going to go with the latter...  And, as I WAS eating a Dove chocolate (a milk chocolate Promise, to be specific), then yes, I think it does mean to KEEP the promises you make to yourself.  Which, of course, spawns a whole different post on a different blog.  :)

RLW