Disappointed

It is always hard when people you depend on let you down. It is even more difficult when you go to the mat for them and they leave you hanging. Having been through that struggle more than once, I realized that we follow a pretty normal procedure when these things happen.

1. There is the anger and frustration phase. How could they do this to me. I have done so much for them. I am so disappointed, angry ________ (insert adjective).
2. Next there is the instinct to retaliate. It may not dwell in all people, but I think most of us have an "eye for an eye" gene somewhere in our system. "They are going to do that to me - I will show them."
3. At some point reason should begin to set in. I say, should begin to set in because it doesn't always work that way. Some people never get beyond anger and revenge and that is sad for them.

I am moving into the reason stage, which means I try to put myself in the other person's shoes. I try to understand why they let me down, what was going through their head. I search for a good reason to forgive and forget.

Arriving at the reason stage of any disappointment is really finding the path to personal healing. I don't like being angry, frustrated or disappointed by others. I don't like walking around wasting useful energy on useless endeavors. There is a time we just need to learn to let go.