Expectations

May 10

How often do we get told by people to do something that they believe is better for us? How often do we have to respond telling them to not worry about it? That we will handle everything just fine. That we will be okay without being told to or suggested to about doing something that another thinks is best for us. What is it about people thinking that out of all the decisions in this world, that they think they know exactly what is best for us? Yes, this is a somewhat of a rebellious comment to make considering the younger we are, the less we know and in many cases, someone older may know what is best for us.

Yet, I have come to also notice that age isn’t always the determining factor in what is actually right for us and in what another person thinks is right for us. In most cases actually, at least for me, people who have asked me to do something in particular, for them, for another, or for myself have failed to see that, in fact, they are looking through their lens - not mine. Not yours. Not anybody else’s, but their very own lens.

How many people get labeled as crazy, as rebellious, as “millennial” even, when an individual chooses to go against the wishes of another. I understand if someone is genuinely behind in their beliefs systems based in misinformed foundations of knowledge, political viewpoints, or values. However, even in the most extreme of circumstances, unless another individual isn’t being hurt emotionally or physically due to one’s actions, who are we to command that one has to change their ways?

Once again, I am not talking about a person who is misinformed due to illogical, untruthful, or immoral upbringing to the beliefs they have about what is right and what is wrong. There should always be some checks and balances to every individual and what they should and shouldn’t do. But I am talking about the idea of others who think they know what’s best for us. Especially wrong are the ones who haven’t solved their own problems and think they have the ability to solve ours.

Enough with expectations. Enough with hypocritical solutions to others' problems when we aren’t asked for help by the person whom we’re trying to help. Let’s deal with our own problems as they come and answer to those who seek out our help.