821. Hope not to have many Expectations on Desires…!

Is there a time when we do not have any expectations? Standing at the bus stand a person would expect that the particular bus he is waiting for is the next to come. Amazingly that limit varies from person to person and situation to situation. But sometimes expectations when it crosses its limit will cause heart break. Is having an expectation wrong then? Everyone has expectations and they sometimes are contrary. A student expects more pocket money while his father would want his son not to spend lavishly. A factory worker expects a raise in the salary while the factory management expects to increase the production. A farmer expects rain when he has to till the land but wants sun shine during harvest. Totally it is a feeling in every single person to see that things happen as they precisely want it to be.

When all the things that are expected happen, it is just fabulous but what if it does not happen? Whenever we expect something we tend to get attached to that thing very sensitively. This attachment makes it difficult when it turns out to be otherwise and mind spins around it for a long time and heart is felt very heavy to get in terms.

With expected results not achieved there is a positive side, every time it teaches a lesson and inspires to be stronger and get into introspective thought as to why it did not happen? The answer to this question will give strength to cope up with the setbacks. Expectation also takes birth from desire. There is nothing wrong in having a desire but it is always better to deserve first and desire subsequently. Desire would be dormant if there is no hope. Hope is the conviction and desire is its motivator. Both are necessary to some extent for fulfilment of an expectation. Hence expectation is an active mind-set if it is evaluated to hope. When it is hope, it is the destiny to take over but in the case of expectation it is more of the will power that comes into the picture. In expectation we try to directly influencing the outcome whereas in hope we cannot influence. At some instances expectation fares better while in certain areas hopes fare better. But we all know that willpower seldom works alone and in such cases we can only hope.

Hopes, expectations and desires are all just in the mental realm and there is a Supreme Power that is behind everything and controlling it. So it is better to be pleased with what one has and have the brilliance to know what best can be done with whatever is and reach the upmost peaks in satisfaction. One need to be “Alpa Santusta” (pleased with few) and not “Alpa Tripta” (contented with few). In being Alpa Santusta one is pleased with whatever may be the outcome without many expectations. But by being Alpa Tripta one does not use his potential to the extent as his goal is always below his capability.

“Expect little and give yourself more at work, you never know if you are fulfilling other person’s expectation….”