Handling Disappointment

So last week it was my “Birthday Week” and it was awesome! I had so many texts and calls from friends and family and the Facebook love was overwhelming! I felt loved, special and so appreciated. But if I was going to be totally honest (which I generally try to be) there was also a twinge of disappointment in there as well.

I try not to let it affect me, but it does. You know there is always that one (or two, or even three) close friends who forget! Yip, they forget your birthday! I know, I can’t believe it either, but it happens! You keep refreshing Facebook to see if they have posted on your wall at the end of the day, you check the mailbox each day hoping for a card and you check your phone a million times to see if they have sent that birthday text you were so hoping for…… But nothing! Absolutely nothing!

Now, years ago I would have taken this personally! I would have gone down the whole track of “They hate me, I am such a bad friend, why don’t they love me anymore, what did I do wrong, was it something I said, or something I didn’t say. How could they forget my special day, I thought they were my friend?” and so on, and so on, (and so on) until in my mind we were no longer friends, in fact, we were now No 1 enemies!

But these days I am older (probably cause I have just had my birthday!) and wiser (hopefully at least!) and I don’t let these things affect me like they use to! Sure, for a split second I am a little hurt, but just as quick as it came, I dismiss it!

I have learned over the years that the world does not revolve around me! Yes, it is my birthday and it’s important to me, but there is life outside of that! Who knows what they may be going through at the time? Maybe they are unwell, maybe the kids are sick, maybe they are going through a hard time, maybe they just don’t see birthdays as important as I do, or you know what, maybe they just forgot! Whatever the reason is, it’s probably not even about me! And actually it is very self-centered if I were to start going down the whole disappointment line. People get sick, people have stuff going on and people forget….. That’s ok, I just need to get over that, and not take it personally!

The people who matter to me most didn’t forget, and actually some people who I wasn’t expecting anything from, came out of the woodwork and surprised me which is always a bonus!

So when those little disappointments come and believe you me, they will come, fight them so they don’t rob you of all the good things that are actually going on around you. Don’t let them detract from all the love you did get, but if anything, let it fuel you so you yourself don’t forget anyone’s birthday!