Irritating, heartbreaking, or Fate being a total jerk. It’s an infinite list.
The reaction to disappointment is my focus. According to me, the five stages are sadness, surprise, resignation, avoidance, and anger. I will stay angry forever. Resolution doesn’t enter my vocabulary until much later, if at all.
A friend is going through a profound period of disappointment. Many people have been piling up on her since January. Family, on a generational level, boyfriend that has been her ex twice, and endless work are all taking a mounting toll. Her reaction is to super focus on ridiculous things, namely co-workers’ work ethic. Trying to change others’ behavior to conform to her own isn’t going to work. It only draws out the pain.
I’ve asked her to take each problem, address it as much as possible or move on. Please note, I’m giving advice I rarely follow. Unfortunately, or reasonably, she wants everyone to stop disappointing her. That’s impossible. Whether it is the grocery store not having your favorite ice cream in stock, catching every red light, or stubbing your big toe twice in one day, life is disappointment.
Trying to sort through big and little disappointments is a process I’ve yet to master.
Mary Jo is a USA Today bestselling author and 2014 WRWDC Marlene Award winner. She writes whatever pops into her head including paranormal, fantasy, romance, and mystery stories. Being an eternal pessimist and multi-tasker helps Mary Jo put her characters in desperate situations. She reads, likes her kids, and is currently working on her next project.
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