I've been thinking about disappointment lately. Not because I've been disappointed about anything in particular but just that the idea of it has interested me. Partly I suppose because of my Bible reading and partly because of the election that will occur tomorrow.
Everyone I suppose has been disappointed at some time or another. It occurs when things do not work out the way we expect. I've thought about whether it is really expect or hope. I'm going with expect because hope has a certain tentativeness. So I think the root of disappointment is expectation.
We get some future thing in our mind that we so want to happen that we move levels from wish to expect. I think that is interesting in its own right.
If the thing that we now expect to happen does indeed happen then we are at least satisfied. Some would say we are elated but I think that may be a mite strong. Because why would you be elated if you really expected it to happen in the first place? I think satisfied is more the right word.
Now the Presidential election has a great deal of uncertainty for both sides so while both sides may claim that they expect to win I think there is likely enough doubt that it doesn't quite make the expectation level. Regardless though there are going to be a lot of elated people and a lot of disappointed people - about 1/2 and 1/2.
But I've been thinking more about my personal, private disappointments really rather than my more public ones.
The only way I can see to avoid disappointment is to have no expectations.
I've decided that is not a good way to live.
5 years ago
3 comments:
When I really think about it, I can't think of anything that ever turned out the way I expected. Sometimes that was a good thing but I have to say that there have been more disappointments than times of elation. That's probably true for most people. Perhaps we set out expectations too high.
I have been disappointed only to turn around and be blessed. It doesn't happen all the time and many times I have to look for those blessings but they are there. And yes, I find that having no expectations is no way for me to live. I went through a time when I used to pride myself in saying I had no expectations. I also found I had no hope either.
The day after the election and I can certainly relate to disappointment.
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