I got no expectations to pass through here again

Great Expectations. Can't live with them, can't live without them. There are two camps of expecting. There are those who will argue that expectation is the root of all heartache and those who will refute that they can't imagine going on when there are no more expectations.

I wish I knew to which camp I belonged because I feel rather left out.

In one sense, I love having expectations. I love being able to look forward to an event, to imagine various situations and circumstances that may occur at the event and how I would revel in the glory of the happenings.

On the other hand, I have lost count of the number of times I have come away disappointed. Built something up so high that it could do nothing but come crashing down. Been so certain that events would pan out a certain way only for the shutter to slam shut in my face.

But how can we walk through each day completely ignoring what is to come? Does that make you utterly careless and neglectful or does it make you spontaneous and adventurous?

Socially, expectations are the best way to evaluate others. When people don't measure up to our expectations, we reevaluate their worth and significance in our life. And when they surpass our expectations? We spill over with joy as we applaud and re-applaud their efforts.

But what happens when we expect the impossible of ourselves or others? Our ambitious and overzealous natures may actually be harmful.

I think I have to reconsider. I feel not left out but safe. I am in my own camp, surveying the other two through my telescope. As Charlotte Bronte wrote, "Life is so constructed that an event does not, cannot, will not, match the expectation." Yes, we can and should have expectations. We just have to accept that events will not always pan out exactly the way we want them to. Sometimes they will be worse, sometimes they will be better. In the end, it'll average out so that things will end up the way you expect.

What did you expect?

Comments

Anonymous said…
I find that the best way to live life is to just experience . Expectations fuel desire (or vice-versa), leading to ideals that just can't be attained. Happiness is simply appreciation... and how can you appreciate something if you're constantly comparing your experience of it to what you expected of it?