Expectations

[Gors]

People build expectations for many things. Expectations out of food, games, artists, movies, cartoons and even people. While this is natural of the human being, we need to notice how objectifying this is.

Many parents think and build expectations for their sons and daughters. Extra classes, singing, swimming, ballet, music. Everything is said to be 'for the growth of their kids' but is it, really? There are cases and cases, and one can happily enjoy a life of extra tasks normally, but there are also many cases of frustrated parents seeing in their kids a chance for indirectly fulfilling their own dreams somehow.

Expecting is a natural, yet a potentially dangerous side-effect of the human mind. We see something and try predicting the outcome - a gamble - and we may or may not be pleased by the result. You cannot roll 6's on your dice forever. And that's what some people cannot grasp. In a world where only accolades are remembered and failures are forgotten, coming across cases of success is a matter of selection.

Everyone is quick to judge people. "His work is trash", "she is a slacker", "he is worthless". But sometimes it might be an unwarranted criticism that got out of hand. People have emotions. No one wants to be called 'trash', 'slacker' or 'worthless'. You don't want to be called that.

It's hard living in a society where you're an unnamed 'piece' of the working machine. You work, you make money, you spend money. If you don't meet other's expectations in this system, you're quickly replaced. There are millions of potential pieces waiting to take your place. And there are people who expect a positive view in such sterile life style; being accomodated to unpleasing situations is the human's strongest (and also the worst) ability.

We disregard the fact that those 'pieces' hail from different parts of the world, with different sets of emotions and experiences, and that they might not have had a decent life, with enough privileges and ease of life. Not everyone has the opportunity to study, or to find a fulfilling career. Is this even the right thing to do? I hardly believe so.

You are not a piece of a machine. You are yourself, a unique being who is capable of unique feats. And so is your friend, your parents, your neighbor, and even your rival if you have one. Everyone tries to strive the way they can, be it good or bad; some trying to fight the system, others working with it; and some even taking advantage of others' work.

In this sea of modern madness, remembering our true value is an exercise of humanity. Let your mind be like clay, hard enough so it can support you, and soft enough so you can constantly mould it with new experiences. Don't stagnate. You're special, even if the world thinks otherwise. If you're honest with yourself and maintain a balance between work and rest, everything will find its way, sooner or later. Let money be your secondary goal, not your main goal. A job might fill your pockets, but a job well done will fill both your heart and pockets.