HOPE FOR THE BEST

There are certain things that I expect to just happen in my life.

Big Things: like Marriage, Children, Owning a Car (someday).

And little things, too: like always having a wine opener around when you need one, never losing your car keys, getting the Sunday Times delivered right to my apartment door without ever missing an issue (and then, if it's not there, having to wonder if I have lousy neighbors who might've taken it).

And it's more often the little things that disappoint me most if they don't happen the way I expect. I suppose that's because the Big Things don't happen everyday...

There's a saying: "Hope for the Best, Expect the Worst". (Or is it, "Plan for the Worst, Expect the Best"?)

And which is better? Or is either a good enough option? How can you hope for one thing and expect the opposite at the same time? You're bound to be frustrated if the best that you've hoped for doesn't happen... and even if you've also expected the worst, it doesn't protect you in any way or make that "grrr" feeling any different.

So what's to be done?

There are other sayings attempting to give an answer: "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff", "Let Go and Let God", "This Too Shall Pass".

Sometimes, though - in the moment of frustration, it's hard to remember those kinds of words.

Oh, well. Tomorrow's another day (look - there's another one!) and I'll probably have forgotten all about those disappointments in the little things. But don't they always feel like the Big Things at the time?