Tonight I was going to take Peter (almost 9), Isaiah (almost 6) and Johanna (almost 3) swimming at MVP.
I was ready to go pick them up when I remembered I had forgotten to ensure there was open swim…
Well, based on the title of this blog, I bet you can guess the answer. Nope, no open swim till 7 pm.
I called to the Bos home to let them know. And with that I heard Johanna burst into tears. She wasn’t hurt, she wasn’t being teased or bothered by her brothers, she was just plain disappointed!
Within moments I hear Isaiah tell her that we are still going to MVP to shoot baskets and the crying ceased….but when I came to pick them up, she was able to say, “I really wanted to go swimming Aunt Trish!”
I have been thinking about that for the last few hours. I think about what a scene it would be if we all wailed for a moment or two when we were disappointed. What if that was socially acceptable for all ages? I am not advocating for that by any means, but I am curious about how we have numbed the ache of disappointment. Are you one who says it doesn’t matter, or perhaps you are one who doesn’t hold expectations much anymore. Are you one who numbs the ache with shopping, food or alcohol….
I wonder if you take out your ache of disappointment on other people or if you are even aware of how you cope…
There is something so refreshing to me to observe the full range of emotions that a 2-year-old lives out. God created us with that range of emotion. Yes, I believe we are called to maturity, but also to live true to the full range of emotion within us. I would dare to say that if we live fully alive, we will deal with disappointment on a daily (or almost daily) basis. Consider naming your disappointment next time you feel it. Talk about what your expectation was and what the reality is. I believe if we could start with being honest about our disappointment, we would also experience a greater sense of emotional maturity!
Consider Johanna’s response today as an invitation to live honestly when you are disappointed.
