great expectations

I don't think I realized this until a bit ago-- the fact that satisfaction comes from the degree to which reality aligns with our own expectations.

We can't help it. We have all sorts of ideas and plans and aspiration, but the maker of those resides within our own heads. Inside our heads, then, is the blueprint for how it will work out, rather, how it *should* work out.

And then, when reality happens, we refer back to our blueprint. It either fits neatly like a puzzle, or crumbles to cookie dust, leaving us feeling empty and mildly disappointed.

Sometimes, anyway.

Sometimes what happens is such a pleasant surprise outside of all of your existing expectations that you can't help but accept it and feel satisfied.

And sometimes you go in, completely unsure of what your expectations even are, if you have any at all, and there's no pressure for anything to be met, exceeded, or fall short.

A kind of interesting limbo.

What's cool is when something comes along that fits into those two latter situations-- when something plops down in front of you and you don't quite know what to make of it but you know that it's there, staring you in the face and you have the power to look at how it will fit into your mental picture, or, perhaps the more daunting task, figure out how you're going to take your mental blueprint to the drawing board.

And isn't it wonderful when you can do both?