Expect nothing and you won't be disappointed. Those are words of advice I heard when I was just a small child and have stayed with me ever since. Really the advice is to live in the moment and be grateful for what you have. Nothing is promised to us but the salvation of God and that depends on belief. The problem lies in the fact that we do expect things. We expect to be treated in a certain way and often we are not. We expect others to react in certain ways and they don't. Then we are disappointed. It even happens with ourselves. There are days when I am disappointed in myself. In the early morning or late at night I sometimes think, I could have done more. I think I just didn't try hard enough. I also think it could be those words haunting me. Expect nothing and you won't be disappointed : don't try, and you won't fail either.
The truth of it is that you should expect nothing in return. If you can do that you will never be disappointed. When we become dependent upon others for our happiness we are walking a tight rope. One slip can be a disaster. If we remain focused and just take our steps carefully we should be alright. Yes there are those that would shake the rope, hoping to see you fall. It is the same desire as going to the races to see the car crashes. We sometimes take pleasure in the failure of others, somehow that is reassuring. It didn't happen to me ! We don't expect it to happen to us either.
When does it start, this expectation of a return ? It begins with our first breath. We cry and we are fed. We know at birth to expect that reaction, a cry for help. Over time we learn to do for others, to please them or provide for their needs. For every action we begin to expect a result. The best among us take pleasure in the doing, not in the receiving. But, we are human after all and expect something in return. For every action there is a reaction. That is what we are taught in school, by science. In science we are told that reaction is always equal and opposite, but that doesn't apply to human behavior. People are not so predictable. The reaction may be disappointing. The degree of disappointment is proportionate to the amount of emotion you expend. How much did it matter ? The question is, how much did you expect in return ? If you expected nothing, it doesn't matter at all. But then, doesn't that also depend upon how much you value the recipient ? To a stranger it is easy to be indifferent but what of those we care for, and especially those we love ? Should we not expect something from them ? Do they not fed our emotions ? And what are emotions but an outward expression of our souls. What food do we require for that soul to grow ? Is it not a reinforcement of a promise made to us. Remember we are promised one thing, and one thing only . The achievement of that promise is dependent upon our actions in this world, not the reactions we receive. Taking the correct actions is the reward in itself, the expectation of nothing in return, but the fulfillment of a promise. And it is a promise that can not be fulfilled by anyone on this earth and is solely dependent upon faith.
Life is a difficult thing. It doesn't get any easier as the years go by. It does get easier to just let things go and not be so disappointed. We tend to become more contemplative. Some of us learn to forgive. We learn that forgiveness isn't something given, but received. When we learn to forgive ourselves we learn to let it go. There is no disappointment, only the hope of tomorrow remains. It is like the Bible says, these three remain, Faith, Hope and Love and the greatest of these is love. To love is to give without an expectation of return, Hope drives us forward and Faith is the engine. Expect nothing and you won't be disappointed. Love never disappoints.
The truth of it is that you should expect nothing in return. If you can do that you will never be disappointed. When we become dependent upon others for our happiness we are walking a tight rope. One slip can be a disaster. If we remain focused and just take our steps carefully we should be alright. Yes there are those that would shake the rope, hoping to see you fall. It is the same desire as going to the races to see the car crashes. We sometimes take pleasure in the failure of others, somehow that is reassuring. It didn't happen to me ! We don't expect it to happen to us either.
When does it start, this expectation of a return ? It begins with our first breath. We cry and we are fed. We know at birth to expect that reaction, a cry for help. Over time we learn to do for others, to please them or provide for their needs. For every action we begin to expect a result. The best among us take pleasure in the doing, not in the receiving. But, we are human after all and expect something in return. For every action there is a reaction. That is what we are taught in school, by science. In science we are told that reaction is always equal and opposite, but that doesn't apply to human behavior. People are not so predictable. The reaction may be disappointing. The degree of disappointment is proportionate to the amount of emotion you expend. How much did it matter ? The question is, how much did you expect in return ? If you expected nothing, it doesn't matter at all. But then, doesn't that also depend upon how much you value the recipient ? To a stranger it is easy to be indifferent but what of those we care for, and especially those we love ? Should we not expect something from them ? Do they not fed our emotions ? And what are emotions but an outward expression of our souls. What food do we require for that soul to grow ? Is it not a reinforcement of a promise made to us. Remember we are promised one thing, and one thing only . The achievement of that promise is dependent upon our actions in this world, not the reactions we receive. Taking the correct actions is the reward in itself, the expectation of nothing in return, but the fulfillment of a promise. And it is a promise that can not be fulfilled by anyone on this earth and is solely dependent upon faith.
Life is a difficult thing. It doesn't get any easier as the years go by. It does get easier to just let things go and not be so disappointed. We tend to become more contemplative. Some of us learn to forgive. We learn that forgiveness isn't something given, but received. When we learn to forgive ourselves we learn to let it go. There is no disappointment, only the hope of tomorrow remains. It is like the Bible says, these three remain, Faith, Hope and Love and the greatest of these is love. To love is to give without an expectation of return, Hope drives us forward and Faith is the engine. Expect nothing and you won't be disappointed. Love never disappoints.
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