expectations

What is the truth? Growing up, I’ve always been told to tell the truth and that I could be whatever I wanted to be. Unfortunately, my parents did not prepare me to be what the world wanted me to be. I never wanted to be an astronaut or a firefighter. Maybe a traveler, or a teacher. No, I should be a doctor and have tons of money, and use it as a security blanket. Then, there can be peace. The truth is, these so called expectations, they hardly come from our own mouths anymore.

Reading, my multivitamin, has awoken me to the truth about truth and our great expectations through “great expectations”. Upon reading this very interesting novel, walking aside dearest Pip, suffering with him, dining with him, trembling with him, I was able to connect to him. Pip grew up as a poor child, and he thought that he would never become more than a blacksmith. Surprisingly, Pip was ecstatic when he heard that he would have a chance to live a better life, a richer life. He took this chance, and my oh my, his life turned right around. He had a nice home, a great friend, money, and a business, but he didn’t have someone to thank for everything he turned into. In his own mind, he accused a good friend for all of his success, but when he finally learned the truth, he was a bit disappointed.

I know that in this way, I follow Pip. I have high hopes, and they get shot down. I admit that when I read the truth, I was also disappointed. I thought to myself that I had a grand idea to have lesser expectations. To avoid ending up like Pip. But like some other decisions I’ve made, this was flawed. Of course, lowering my expectations would ultimately lower my rate of personal success. And finally I started to conclude that my life without challenge, and personal goals (may they be high expectations), would be failure. And failure brings sadness.

I like to be happy. I sure hope that you do too. Honestly, being what I want to be, no matter if the world deemed it pathetic, is what I want to be. Finding out the truth that makes me sad, angry, disappointed, frustrated, gloomy, or pissed, would bring about happiness. I find that this world will not make me happy, I will make me happy. And the truth is essential unless I like living a fake life. Thanks to Charles dickens, the creator of this magnificent novel, I can construct myself based upon what I like to do. Expectations can be especially hard to live up to if they are my own. But the truth that it’s mine, and only mine, stuffs joy in to a body that has been overstuffed with goals. This book makes me appreciate truth for all of its glory. I like being a Pip. A distinctly true Pip.