EXPECTATION CAN BE OVERRATED

Those of you who know me personally will enjoy this post message as you are aware, I have a great sense of humor and this joke is on me.

Let me go back to my childhood and it will make a lot more sense of why this caused me to question my sense of humor. As a child who had a big curiosity, and my Dad being a skilled mechanic, I would welcome any opportunity to stick my head under the hood of his truck. I learned what tool did what, and Dad would talk to me while he tuned his pride and joy. It was black instead of red but I was fascinated at the paint job and its shine. I was taught if you were blessed to have something you took pride in making sure you maintained it, took care of it, and gave it some love. Funny how I remember that truck so well, but I remember the trips in in with Daddy pointing out how I should watch for nature’s tricks and wonders. I remember going hunting and fishing with him in that truck so of course, when I saw the new theme of decorating with the old vintage red truck, I wanted one……..Anticipation began!

I am not a high maintenance woman and find buying clothes a necessity, not a thrill. I love to cook so kitchen tools and gadgets attract my attention, but then along came “My red truck” and I decided why not get me a truck to remind me of those wonderful memories of times gone by. I looked at ads, I dreamed of getting me my red truck and guess what? I ordered me a red vintage truck. If you look at the picture below, you will say what is the problem, you got your red truck…..again, more to this story coming up.

I waited, waited, and talked about “Where’s my truck?” By this time, it was evident my truck was coming from China. I know, I know! I should have checked the details but the expectation and the excitement seemed more important. I checked the status, and the anticipation grew bigger.

It became a little inside joke between my husband and myself because he may not have been aware of how much I wanted a little red truck to call my own. Finally, after almost a month of waiting, I saw the notice saying it was being delivered. Oh yeah, I was ready to see my little red truck. I had dusted off a cabin that my daughter had given me that was old itself. It was perfect and I would build a make shift country road driving up to the cabin. Can you tell how excited I was….that is until my husband, Greg, walked into the room, with a tiny box in his hands saying “You are going to be disappointed if this is your truck.” My heart sank, my mind was confused at what was going on. My perfect red truck looked like a matchbox toy. Now, look back at the picture of both trucks and I will continue with the saga.

My husband sensing I needed cheering up, had listened when I said I needed some miniature trees in the cabin’s yard. He thought that might make the sting of my lil (and I mean little) red truck so off to Hobby Lobby he went when he finished work. Bless his heart for loving this woman of his that has her heart broken over a silly truck. He knows I hate shopping so we Face Time when he is on his mission for me. You can see the cool Christmas tree in this picture and at the store he is showing it to me verifying it is right and all I can see is the big truck, yes, the one I ordered on a shelf below his hand filled with a Christmas tree. I said, “My truck, my truck!” He said “What?” I repeated it while gazing at the very truck, my tiny truck was supposed to be. Greg had walked right by it as he wasn’t looking for a truck, he was hunting trees.

To make a silly story shorter than longer, Greg got a deal and bought both the tree and the “Big Red Truck” and made his wife happy and then we had a great laugh. The small truck fit into the cabin display but the big red truck fit my heart’s memory a lot better. Now for the deeper thought:

in our lives, we have expectation of life and people. Both come in two sizes: large and small. We have to learn to live with the realization that we can be confused by envisioning what our perception of things and people. Some people appear to be larger than life, but if they disappoint us their size is diminished in our minds. As I have said from a quote, “It is what it is!” Life is to be dealt with flexibility and compromise as nothing is ever quite what we expected but it can be a happy life if we laugh and change our direction if we end up with a tiny portion instead of a huge taste of life. I challenge everyone to have a good laugh about my little red truck and dream about the possibility of reliving a wonderful heart-warming memory in a big red truck. Happy Holidays to all of you with love in my heart.

(C) Copyright 2012 – 2020 Arline Miller of Sipping Cups of Inspiration with all rights and privileges reserved. Third party material is sourced to the original location if known for credit reference.