“Disappointment”

We have all faced some sort of disappointment in our lives. Some of us feel that our lives are over before they have started. We haven’t had a chance to “make something of ourselves.”

As we grow older, some of us experience a creeping dread that follows us wherever we go. We are afraid of growing up. Many of us wish to be whisked away by fairy dust and Peter Pan. We may believe that if we had made better decisions earlier in our lives, our lives would be better for it now. Some disappointments are so heavy that one person cannot bear them alone.

It is very important to express your disappointments. Talk to someone who is willing to listen. Speaking your unhappiness aloud keeps resentment at bay.

We have been disappointed in people we thought we could count on. We have been disappointed in ourselves. We have been disappointed by our misfortune, by God, our leaders, our government. Sometimes our disappointments send us to dark places. Places where we feel alone and scared, sad, resentful, and sometimes angry.

I speak of “we.” I do not know for certain what anyone else feels when they experience the darkness of disappointment. I do know that it can lead to depression.

In a world filled with so much turmoil, it is easy to be disappointed. It is enough to bring us all down if we let it. No matter our differences, our difficulties and our disappointments, we can only change the world for better if we choose to stand united. Otherwise, we are living in a state of chaos; a puzzle with thousands of corner pieces.

Most of the time, disappointment follows the failure of great expectations. We must let go of the bondage of our expectations in order to live a life full of surprises. Live a life in the present, and appreciate each moment of the day as if it is our last. As my grandmother says, “You can’t move forward if you’re looking back.”

Disappointments happen to us all, but it is never too late to “make something of ourselves.” Every life matters. Every decision makes a difference. Your self has been made, even if it is not visible to you. It is your relationships with others, your words, and your actions which are your legacy. Do not believe that you will leave this world without a mark.

—SJB