Disappointment

Expectation is the mother of all disappointments. We will never get what we want. They day that we do we want something more, something different, ‘have you got it in antique white?’, ‘well yes it was great but…’.

Desire is our nature. Our thought processes are all about something we want or something we want to avoid. We want:

5 more minutes sleep, a hot cup of coffee, no traffic on the road, an empty email inbox, appreciation at work, the client to call before 2pm, the dress in the window on our way to lunch, to avoid the crowds at the food court, someone else to handle the mess waiting for us on our return to the office, people to pull their weight at work damnit!, the last half hour to fly by, for clients not to call 5 minutes before knock-off time, there to be a smooth run on the way home, to listen to Hamish & Andy on the way home, a creamy pasta for dinner – stuff the calories, to watch our favourite TV show, for the bottle of wine we opened to be nice, a piece (or block) of dark chocolate to accompany the wine, a long hot bath and a good nights sleep.

There is nothing wrong with desire, its what drives us on. Desire climbed Mt. Everest. Desire created (and nurtures) a family. Desire completed the degree. Desire vies for promotion. Desire makes the best chocolate cake you have ever eaten.

Desire is desirable. Expectation is not. Desire is an open ended question. Expectation is a closed question. Desire leads us in a direction. Expectation paints us into a corner.

Desire the most amazing things you can imagine. Desire the most decadent sweets, the most exciting adventures, the most supportive family, the most fulfilling career. But never, ever expect these things. The experience will allways fall short; for your reach will always exceed your grasp.