EXPECTATIONS

I was ready to leave the Ampang hospital. I stepped through the glass doors while the driver pulled up in front of me. I got into the passenger's seat and said hello to Tiff who was occupying the owners seat of the Embassy's vehicle. We hadn't seen all morning. On the drive back to the Mutiara condo, I started off the conversation.
"I assume you woke up late and couldn't make it to morning mass.'
"Oh no, I woke up early enough. Just didnt go," she replied and I cast a glance at her, very surprised by her response. She had her eyes fixed on her phone.
It was her mother's birthday and the day's event had kickstarted with morning mass and intentions. I had heard her mom leaving the house that morning and had thought she was gonna go with her and probably plan a special daughter's birthday treat for her mom.
"I wouldn't in the world have thought you will miss your mother's birthday mass. Why couldn't you make it?"

"Not that I couldn't make it. I didn't want to make it. I did not plan to attend mass this morning."
"But won't she be disappointed? I mean it's her birthday", Tiff and her mom had a special bond, being an only child.
"Oh dear, she had better not be. People should learn to manage their expectations. Not everybody will bend backwards for you. Neither should you place expectations on people. You will avoid a lot of disappointments that way."
Her reply jolted me to a reality we overlook. That was one lesson I was taught during my stay in Kuala Lumpur. Even to this day, that lesson still speaks volume. Throughout 2016/2017, I waited for people to make things happen for me because they had said they would. Both years went by and none of the promises were fulfilled.
Learn to Manage your expectations. Expect more from God and yourself. Expect less or nothing from others. People have their priorities and trust me, more often than not, you might not even be on their list of priorities let alone be at the top of the list.