Expectations

Finally I have reached my favourite part of the mountain, the edge of it. From here one can see the moon shining with its bright light on the valley beneath. And tonight it’s a full moon. I smile at the beauty of nature around me. Since I started my walk from home to reach this place, only one thing has been on my mind; the discussion in office today on expectations.

It all started with my saying something like I expect a lot, it was not until later that I realized I don’t expect much compared to other people and their expectations from their loved ones. It was Ahsan’s response to my statement that brought everyone into the discussion, “If you do good to people and then expect them to do the same for you, then I’m sorry to say you’re not a nice person.” He left me speechless for a moment, “But what if we don’t expect the same in return, what if we expect just a little?” I had asked. “It doesn’t matter if you expect less or more. Whatever you do with expecting anything in return, it’s kind of the same thing.” He had further added, “We start loving people for what they are, then we expect them to become something totally different, isn’t it injustice to our own love for them? Can’t you see the pressure we put people under when we expect so much from them?”

It was Mariam’s turn now, “But we can’t survive without expecting anything from people, can we?” Ahsan responded, “No we can not. It’s not wrong to expect. But if you’re doing things for people just because you want them to do the same for you, that’s what makes you a bad person.”
By now, our discussion had attracted the attention of Sir. Ahmed (our department’s head), he decided to gave his opinion too, “the less you expect, the lesser pain you will have to go through.” I responded by saying, “But sir that will be a total selfish aspect of the whole thing. Not expecting anything just because you’re too afraid to get hurt means you are not giving your 100% either. When we don’t expect anything in return because our love is unconditional, that’s the real thing.”

“Unconditional love? Haha, does that even exist? In today’s world?” Faiza had asked sarcastically. “Unconditional love can exist, we are just not good enough for it maybe. It’s possible only if we don’t expect a return when we give all that we can.” Ahsan had answered.

I believe Ahsan was talking about a Utopia, a perfect world without expectations, where everyone would be happy. But life in such a world will be so colourless, for what is life without pain, hurt and heartbreak?

The discussion at office had ended without a conclusion. But at this moment when I am sitting so close to unadulterated nature, I think about expectations again. I have never expected people to change for me. I expect less from people, maybe that’s why I get more time to love them and less for finding reasons to hate them. Ahsan had said that expecting from people to acknowledge your love for them is also wrong. I think I agree because I believe in love that is always ready to give without any return. I believe it’s impossible not to expect anything from the people you love, but it’s possible to expect less, because you are willing to let them live their life in their own way and not because you are afraid to get hurt. Little expectations add sweetness in life. But too much of a good thing is bad.