Expectations and Disappointment

Expectation is defined as:

1. To look forward to the probable occurrence or appearance of

2. To consider as reasonable, due, or justified
 
Disappointment is defined as:

1. To fail to satisfy the hope, desire, or expectation of.

2. To frustrate or thwart

Here's the problem with having high expectations; you will inevitably be disappointed.  I've been struggling with the idea of having high expectations for and in my life and then being utterly disappointed sometimes.  

This is something that I've thought about a lot this past week or so.  When I'm feeling down because I've been disappointed, I think that I should lower my expectations or have no expectations at all, which would then lesson the disappointment I feel when my expectations are not met.  

But then I always go back to what my life would be like if I didn't have high expectations:

Would I have gotten my masters degree and be in a fantastic career and my dream school if I had little or no expectations?  

Would I have gone out on my own and bought my own home in a fantastic neighborhood if I had low or no expectations?  

Would I be with a loser of a man who may have lived longer than Jeff but would have never made me as happy as Jeff did, even in the short amount of time I had with him, if I didn't have high expectations?

So even with all of the disappointment I feel sometimes when my high expectations for others, myself, and my life are not met, I still feel it's a better way to live than having low or no expectations.  With the lows, I also experience the highs when my expectations are met.

Looking back, I'm glad I have had high expectations in my life and, looking forward, even with the inevitable disappointment looming, I will continue to have high expectations.