Disapointment, in a nutshell

8/11/11 Proverbs 13:12 speaks to unfulfilled expectations. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick,” rang true yesterday until I chose to see “change” as from God’s hand and asked Him to continue to direct our steps.
Nutshell synopsis:

• Difficulty enjoying the scenery-- Atlas needed to navigate as Mapquest didn’t have a clue, road signage was all but non-existent yet made the pursuit kind of fun.

• Nippersink Lodge on Lookout Mountain (long on my bucket list of places to visit) somewhat resembled a quaint but eerie lodge from a bygone era----think, “The Shining”---only a swinging saloon style door to “rustic” bedroom and NO AC

• 

• No lodging available in either of the only 2 options in quaint/artsy/adorable Mentone, AL & not a single picture
  

• Having to scratch next day’s brunch at the Wildflower Café

• No birds on the short birdwalk at DeSoto State Park in Fort Payne
  

• Dusk coming with no “safe” place to stay

The end result was acceptance----“flying by the seat of our pants “as hubby continued to drive “Miss Dotsy” toward Gadsden, AL, where Josh, from a CE classroom in New York secured us a hotel with a great, think “very reasonable price” hotel right on the road to our next day’s original destination. We became joyfully expectant to see where disappointment would lead.

Heartsick

3/23/11

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12)

I’ve learned a little something as I’ve been in this “unhealthy” waiting room. Unfulfilled expectations can be crippling or at least disconcerting.

The doctor would call with results the first of the week----I’ve had no messages.

Is Wednesday the first of the week?

When I talk with an intermediary (nurse) and she says the reports indicate “something” in left carotid artery. She says medicine would be called in to handle it. No pharmacy has called to tell me that I have an RX waiting.

I could go on belaboring the point but that would be futile. Doctors are so-o-o busy. I know that. Someone has to run interference or they’d never get to go home. But I’m learning the importance of our words. Sometimes words bring hope and when there is no follow through, disappointment can be great. Maybe even devastating depending on the emotional stability of the one “let down.”

Think about children. Do adults “promise” them events that raise their hopes only to be disappointed again and again---sometimes to the point of disillusionment? Maybe the reasons were valid. (like a busy doc). Maybe working overtime was valid to the adult but didn’t ring true to the child. Maybe their reasons were just excuses.

Do you (I) do what we say we’re going to do? Do you (I) glibly tell someone we’ll give them a call and promptly forget that intention. Or did we really intend it? Was it just a mannerly thing we say in the South?

I think it’s important to back up our words with actions so that we don’t litter life’s pathways with “heartsick “ people.