One of the changes with age that I did not accurately predict was with my expectations. I thought my expectations would diminish with time. For me it was the opposite. With the passage of time my expectations have grown. They are larger and more complex than at any time in my life. What has changed is the patience in seeing my expectations come to life. I have come to value the time and steps it takes to realize a dream.
Expectations change with experience. When I look at how mine have changed, at the core they are the same. What has changed is the details and size. I understand more about the dream, so the textures and colors in my dream have taken on more detail. At times I think my expectation is totally different. As I have shared it with others, I find that they can see what I cannot. It is the same dream, only more.
I remember starting my career and expecting results in a matter of months, if not days. As successful as I was, it did not happen in days! Many steps were measured in years. Life reminds me that milestones are important in and of themselves. Steps are the most important. They are the telltales that lead to the heart of our dreams.
The aspect that continues to surprise me is I often do not understand the heart of my expectations. This only comes with time and experience. The confusion time resolves is the dream’s clarity and the way it unfolds. If we went to my heart’s true expectations, I would not recognize where I was. While you might be able to see for me, I need time to understand my dreams and hope. As time releases my dream understanding to me, I see it clearly and differently. It is the same dream. Yet, it is also more. David’s comment to God reflects his realization.
“You set me up with a house and yard. And then you made me your heir!” (Psalm 16.6)
It is fun to have big dreams.
