I truly anticipated Spring coming. I looked forward to the feeling of freshness and the signs of life all around me. I was excited about the flowers, the colors, and the warmth in the air. Spring has always been one of my favorite seasons. In my anticipation, I forgot to also acknowledge a not-so-great part of Spring that I always regret–the pollen count. As I considered all the great things to come, I allowed myself to forget that sometimes great things come with side effects that are not as palatable. Does that make Spring any less exciting for me? Not really; but my perspective can change everything.
It’s like that with life sometimes. We anticipate good things. We’re excited about what’s to come. Sometimes, we see things through rose-colored glasses, but when we’re confronted with less than ideal things in the midst of our expectation, we throw away the entire thing because it doesn’t completely appear like we expected; however, one negative doesn’t change what we have received, right? Aren’t we still living in what we were expecting? Does one thing negate the full experience? In some cases I understand that the magnitude of the unexpected negative may make us consider throwing it all away, but in most cases, what we’re facing is more of a speed bump than a brick wall. It’s how we choose to perceive and process which determines the outcome.
So, I don’t know what has dampened your expectation–what speed bump derailed your excitement–what was said or experienced that robbed you of your anticipation…but I challenge you to consider it in the bigger scheme of things. Renew your expectation. Anticipate again. What you have been looking forward to is STILL worth the wait.
Life Happens 