February 27, 2013

GIVE WITHOUT HAVING ANY EXPECTATIONS OF EVER GETTING ANYTHING IN RETURN!

Do you set yourself up for disappointments? Maybe, you are wondering what I actually mean. Do you get upset when people don't do what you "think" they should do, or if they do not react how you "feel" they should react? Recently, I learned a valuable life lesson that I was setting myself up for many disappointments in life. My feelings would become extremely hurt if people would not care about my family like I might care about their family. Depression would overtake my soul if friends and family members would not treat my family like I might treat them. Sometimes our expectations of others only lead to disappointments.

In the past few years, my feelings have become crushed, because my family was not invited to any kind of family functions. There have been birthday parties for our nieces and nephews, there have been baby showers, there have been weddings, and who knows what other functions that my family was never invited to. When my family found out about these functions, the feeling of exclusion overtook me. I began to sink into a dark, deep hole. However, what I didn't realize during that time was that I was setting myself up for my own disappointment. Just because I may invite everyone I knew for any kind of function that my husband and I may be able to host does not mean that others will include our family in their affairs. Just because I might be willing to go an extra mile for a friend or family member does not mean that anyone would ever be willing to go the extra mile for me. I needed to learn to accept this truth, so I could heal and move on with my life.

Having expectations for other people may only lead us to our own disappointment. Always remember that just because we may be willing to do for others does not mean that those people will ever do for us. Give without having any expectations of ever getting anything in return!