During fall 2024 I attended a workshop with journaling mentor and coach Joelle. You can follow her substack at Reconnect and Befriend; her Instagram is Reconnect and Befriend Coach.
To help conclude this year (that wraps up a quarter of the twenty-first century), Joelle's recent substack offered three questions – with three lively illustrations – to answer as we anticipate a bright 2026. Today I'll write to expectations because it's alphabetically first.
What expectations can I quietly let go of?
But why? Wouldn't that be quitting my dreams? Is dream and expectation the same, or is a dream more ethereal and sometimes ephemeral? An expectation more concrete and—expected?!
In this primarily bilingual (multicultural, multilingual) megalopolis, I often consider the triple meaning of esperar: expect; hope; wait. Most days it feels as if my life has been an expect – hope – wait marathon. How about yours?
As I've silently obsessed, not infrequently journaled, and occasionally blogged, my current situation, with current encompassing most of the last decade is "so far afield of the minimum I'd anticipated by now," it feels as if "anticipate" sleekly combines hope and expect. Expect because with my careful extensive preparation, I knew it would happen. The best way to predict the future is to create the future. Amirite?
We're late in the season of Advent, that wintry time that overflows with hope.
For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what they already see or have? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Romans 8:24-25
You know the context! Creation waits for us to fully claim our divine natures so the new creation itself will flourish:
Romans 8:18-25
Digression: To nudge my sense of expectation, I hope to present my Theology of the New Creation discussion during Epiphany, but it needs tweaking because I planned the original version for the Season of Creation.
Back on topic: Joelle asked if I can let go of any expectations—plural more than one. How about just one? She asked if we can release them quietly. We're not talking hoping or waiting, although how can they not be factors? Expectations feels more vibrant and alive, as if it's growing wings and ready to fly. In most cases that wouldn't be a quiet event!
What are my primary expectations? A life of participation in and contribution to church and world. Still. That's so generic it feels easy to achieve, but it hasn't happened. Will I let it go? Will I release it? No! I won't give it up because that would be quitting.
No comments:
Post a Comment
thanks for visiting—peace and hope to all of us!