Hope and Anticipation

Many times I have said those words to myself, but the occasions were always similar. I used it as some kind of verdict.
I believe: This is the meta reason of what drives us, believing in something to come.
Let me share:

 

Where do we experience it?

From the very beginning of our lives we longed for the next breath, for the next meal, for the next relief of uncomfortable circumstances.
Even those who were there for us in those times did anticipate these next steps with us.
More over, they waited for us to learn all new things until we were old enough to anticipate breakthroughs or even trivial joys of the everyday life ourselves.
Since then, we spent much of our lives waiting, anticipating, hoping:
The first day of school, the last day of school, the first day on the job, maybe even the last day on the job, driving a car, finding a partner, going on a holiday. Even most pieces of music are directly playing with the concept of teasing and rewarding. Or maybe before a date, before biting in that burger, before watching the next episode after a mean cliffhanger.
We always have something to look forward to. Literally.

 

What does it mean in life?

I want to outline the fact that there is always something in the future, and never in the past, that we can anticipate, that we can carve our path towards, that we can hope for.
There is always something we wish for, that we will be happy about, that we would like. Even if we don’t actively look at it, it is there and bound to happen.
The concept of forward moving time is that the future will have happened eventually. And just like we can shape our reality, we can decide on the things that make us happy in that future.
If there wouldn’t be anything in front of us, there would not be a reason to live. But there is always something. And thus, always a reason to venture forward.
How many boys have set new records in cleaning their room only because a girl mentioned coming over? Why do deadlines motivate us? Why do we shave?
Because there is something coming. Something that matters to us in some way.

 

What if it is bad, or not even there?

I just assumed one would want to be happy. That being happy is the main goal in life. Even though it might not be this simple, I still decide to live in that reality where ultimately we want to be happy. Each individual their way.
Still, some things we feel coming are not pleasant. For me a dentist appointment I would anticipate for one reason only: So it is over after. How easy would it be to obsess over the unpleasant part? If I could avoid it without causing harm, I would not have to go. But if there is no way around something like that, we can look even further forward.
Also, when you don’t see anything that would make you happy, you are either locked up in a dark cell or you are overlooking something. Which brings me to the next point:

 

Big or small? Important or irrelevant?

I go by a very simple equation:

The more things make you happy, the happier you are.

My equation doesn’t account for the nature of thing or its size (sounds familiar?), though it is subordinate to causing no harm.
That means, you can allow yourself to put your hopes in the next sandwich, the next run in the sunset, the next legal high. Though all of these same things are perfect reason to keep your hopes up and anticipate them with all our hearts, there are even bigger things.

What about our relationships? What about work? What about our life?
Many of those parts affect each other. They even amplify or hinder each other. Sometimes we seem to fly, because there are so many next steps happening across the board. Sometimes we are holding back and seek comfort in the familiar surrounding.

Sometimes we go through sour patches, only hoping, anticipating even, it would make something else better again. Whether that is a good strategy, the future will tell. Or has told already? This is why we rely on experience so often, despite surprises surprise us ever so often.
Sometimes we care only about ourselves, which is right, but as humans we usually care about others as well. And that’s where it gets interesting: How are we setting hope and anticipation there? Do we hope together? Do we anticipate the same things? Can we talk about it? Be honest about it?

Do we have arrived? Are we stuck? Do we know where to go? Do we sometimes take care of ourselves first, so we can help the other one better?

Good news: You don’t have to worry too much. Because there simply is a next step, be it little or big, waiting for you. And it is always important and never irrelevant. Because you are looking forward to it. And that makes you go forward.

 

Where does it end?

To be honest, it could just end when something has come true, has passed or is no longer an option to hope for.

Or it could go on forever when you do look forward and spot another thing. Any thing. Any next step. May it be big or small, it will be worth going for. Some people live their entire life anticipating just one thing. And what strong drive they have!

But even when you are legally lost, you can decide on a direction. The direction you think you’ll like. You can take baby steps or bold strokes. But there is always something coming.
Do you see it? Do you want to see it? Do you long for it? Do you want to go further from there?