Through my own experience I find that one of my greatest challenges in life is reminding myself that I shouldn’t place undue expectations on other persons, places or things. The only thing in life I truly have complete control over is me. I can control what I do, what I expect and how I react. I control these things through choices I make. I cannot make choices for persons or things outside of me. It’s that simple.
As a human I expect. From past experiences I can project certain outcomes. Since I can think, I can make up outcomes that are realistic and also unrealistic. I can make up expectations. Expectations that are realistic and also unrealistic. In my mind, often without the knowledge of others, I place these expectations on things outside of myself. Things or persons to which I have no control. When theses expectations are not met, I am disappointed. Often disappointments become resentments.
Here’s the rub, I am responsible for creating these resentments. No one else created them. I created them through my own made up expectation and my chosen reaction. I play a part in everything in my life weather I created it or not. The part I play is me. If it’s my life, I’m in it.
I must always remember to examine what part I played, to take responsibility and let go of resentment. Period.
Fearsome Beard 
and fearsome just grew a little bit more…
Are you a Scorpio, by any chance?
Capricorn. Stubborn old goat I am.
Indeed!
But a wise goat all the same.
JP
Sound insight into the workings of our emotions. Thank you!
Well Put Sir!
Whenever I feel resentment I try to step back from it and wonder what entitlement was I experiencing that didn’t get met to evoke resentment.
Reading backwards from your latest post, its interesting reading this after your ‘old wounds’ essay. well written. thx
Life doesn’t always come at you in order. My job, as I see it, is to stay out of resentment thus once stimulated by the academy awards I didn’t hide any longer.
🙂