Thursday, March 3, 2011

March 3: Don't Be Afraid to Hope for Things

Too late again, but hey, an hour earlier than last night.  I have been thinking lately about a comment someone made to me.  We were discussing something we both wanted to happen, but she "didn't want to get her hopes up."  I thought about what a funny expression that is.  Why are some of us so afraid to "get our hopes up?"  It made me think of another friend who said he never plans things too far in advance, because if anything went wrong, as it usually did, he would be too disappointed.  I feel sad for people who feel that way.  In trying to avoid a crushing let down, they are missing out on the deliciousness of anticipation.  Studies show that often the anticipation of something is more enjoyable than the attainment of the experience itself.  I guess people figure that the more they reach for something, the more they let themselves fantasize about a dream coming true, the higher they rise on hope's wings, the farther they will fall, the more they will hurt.  Now I am not one of those people who has succeeded at everything she's attempted and gotten everything that she wants.  I have experienced failure, defeat, and disappointment.  But I have also experienced many amazing, beautiful, wondrous things.  Things that I might never have experienced if I was too afraid to look forward to them.  When we look forward to things, we push our destiny in their direction.  If we fail, we fail, if things don't work out, well, that happens sometimes.  But it makes us that much stronger, that much more determined, that much more positive.  It's hard enough to maintain happiness is this stressed-out, unpredictable, topsy-turvy world, why deny yourself of joy just because you aren't sure if things will work out?  In fact, who's to say that our attitude toward the likelihood of something happening doesn't in fact affect whether it happens or not?  Imagine if all the writers, painters, composers, etc. in history thought, "This might not work out, so I'm not going to invest too much hope it it."  Without the hope of succeeding, we lose all purpose and motivation in even trying.  So whether it's a life-long dream or something as simple as a new recipe turning out well, don't be afraid to hope for the best.

In all things it is better to hope than to despair” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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