Let's first take a look at how each of the terms is defined in the dictionary. To hope is 'to wish for a particular event that one considers possible'. The immediate imagery in my mind is one of someone putting their palms together, eyes closed and praying for a turn of event, a miracle to happen, something ranging from a sheer luck to anything magical that would shift them away from the current event in the present moment. Simply put, now is very likely not good enough and there is something better to go after. The dichotomy is emphasized and the nuances are forgotten. The definition of expectation on the other hand is 'eager anticipation'. And to crank up the fun on the latter, here's how Esther Perel, the Belgian psychotherapist, elaborates on what anticipation really means: 'It is a mortar to desire, where one has the ability to imagine it as if it is happening, to experience it as if it is happening, while nothing is happening and yet everything is happening, all at the same time'. To me personally, it sounds like a done deal, a conviction that comes with the mounting momentum and the path to tread on is revealed and felt energetically - it will happen as it already is happening behind the scene even though we cannot actually see how that is.
My question to you is ideally this: Between HOPE and EXPECTATION, which one would you choose to take on? Before you decide on your choice, here's how I would break them down. To me, hope means you wager on the probability of something you want so badly to happen. And as you go about your typical day, you may be seeking everyday signs to lead you to believe that you are somehow a step closer to having what you want, and you might feel disappointed, demotivated, or even dejected, more so after a period of time, when you collect no any evidences yet and start to wonder what all that effort or goodwill was for. On the brighter side, you might also pick up little indirect signs of possibilities, instead of naught, that continue to boost your spirit but challenge your patience of waiting. 'Ok, that's nice but when is my turn', you may ask. What you so desire seems still far from reach while time continues to tick. There may even be a cycle of doubting your faith on the divine power (God, Source or Universe, whichever suits your palate) as you ride the waves of 'things get worse before they get better' kind of life. You do however get back on track relatively quick because hope will find its way into you again if you let it and you keep your nose to the grindstone practicing it.
In terms of expectation, this will require some proper explanation to get my point across lest it creates some confusion. The word as it stands may be understood simply as all things we tend to 'should-ify' in life. 'They should know how I feel', 'She should apologize', 'I should be the one nominated', 'He should behave better', 'Life should have been way better by now' and so forth. There are longing, attachment, entitlement, blame, and resentment in the mix of this malady called expectation. To put differently, it implies a strong resistance to accept things just as they are. It is the kind meant in the saying 'trade your expectations for appreciation' suggesting to be grateful for everything you have than spending time feeling embittered by people and events of your life that tend to deviate from our standards. People are allowed to act however they decide to aligning to their level of consciousness, life will continue to buoy you and throw you some curveballs as it deems fit, and you will always find ways to perpetuate sufferings for yourself until you understand that there is nothing else you should ever seek to control except for your own soul (mind and energy), emotions and ultimately, actions. As the ancient wisdom puts it, the only way out is in, what an irony. When you can look past your life circumstances, see things for what they are, and be intrigued by every experience life has to offer no matter how hard it may seem at first, you will eventually understand how life happens for you, and not to you.
So, here's the thing. What if you bestow this very meaning of 'all is well', 'I am here in this lifetime to nurture and enjoy my well-being, 'life is good', or the like, to what expectation in this context is about? There is not any higher goal and purpose in life than this, is there? Every twist and turn in life that comes to greet is treated with awe, curiosity and inspiration - knowing that everything is working out just the way it is supposed to be, in the greater scheme of things. Instead of panicking, you will just cry, 'Alright, that's interesting indeed...' followed by asking, 'So what does this mean and where does it lead to?', and regaining your equanimity and centeredness. The level of faith here is unquestionable since that is the only truth to seek after all. Everything that comes into your experience is merely a necessary stage of this magnificent process. How will that change your attitude towards life? Briefly, the meaning of expectation has therefore evolved and shifted from the 'shoulds' to the treacherous truth. It is the latter meaning that I wanted to arrive at. Incidentally, it has likely also hammered in how the meaning you assign to words or events that actually creates the impact on you than it is the words or events themselves. When you change their meanings, you can literally change your life and your perspective of it in an instant. You just flip the switch. Hey, you got to!
After all intended elaboration, I am coming back to the main question here: Between HOPE and EXPECTATION, now which one would you choose to engage with? Here is what I can summarize to give you the key takeaways:
Faith level in HOPE < Faith level in EXPECTATION ('all is well' context is important).
Life's ups and downs might drive but wear out people who hang on to HOPE, yet intrigue and positively challenge those who EXPECT (again, 'all is well' context is important).
You say "It may/can happen" when you harbour HOPE, while you claim "It is happening, it will happen" when you have EXPECTATION (ditch the shoulds, embrace the now, trust the future).
So, what will it be? Between HOPE and EXPECTATION...
Remember, the meaning you give changes everything.
When you change the meaning, you can change your life.
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