Great Expectations

I'm sorry for throwing all this deepness out there lately y'all, but I guess the absolutely freezing weather has made me ponder a lot. I think I learned very early on that expectations don't always play out in real life. I remember being so psyched for carnivals at school or birthday parties, and though they were usually a rockin' great time, they weren't as amazing as I expected them to be.

 My mom always told me to not expect too much from others, so they can't disappoint you. I may not necessarily agree with this statement entirely, but I definitely get what she was trying to say. People aren't always going to treat you the way you expect them to. Having high expectations of people has led me to feel pain before. You all probably have felt the same. However, I also think living a life expecting people are average is kind of gloomy. Though I have been hurt a lot, I have also been around people that have done amazing things, for me and for others. I like to think that at least people try to treat others how they want to be treated. Maybe sometimes they don't, and maybe other times they exceed this basic human goal.

 Advice books on love, etc. often tell single girls (like moi) to write down a list of traits or attributes that they want in a partner. Doing this is supposed to magically lead these perfect (m)angels into your life ("mangels" (n) a man that is perfect and his personality attributes are that of an angel). K, I don't know about you, but this has not happened to me, but it did help me prioritize the things I do find really important in a partner. I also think that when people don't meet up to your expectations, it may be because they aren't the kind of person who has the traits you need.

 So in conclusion, expectations are terrible and lovely all at the same time. Kind of like life, huh. They help us make decisions about people in our lives, but they can also cause great suffering when they are unmet. I guess figuring out those expectations that make sense, others that just cause discontentment, those that are unrealistic and some that make you happy, are all part of this journey God has put us on. 

 Any thoughts on great expectations, or the lack thereof? Just a little (warm) food for thought on this Sunday evening for you!

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