Great Anticipation

The climb of a roller coaster. The airport before a vacation. The menu at a great restaurant. A first date. Friday afternoon. New Year’s Eve. Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve: When you were younger, you would spend time with your family, fighting every urge to go into the other room and investigate what presents were already out, knowing full well that Santa still hadn’t dropped off the final load. When the time came to finally go to bed, you accepted it with open arms. It was hard to fall asleep with the mystery of what sat wrapped under the tree, looming in the dawn. More times than not, in my household, it didn’t take the sun to get me stirring. I’d beat that late sun up and out of my bed, tip-toeing through the silent house, ready to see what my stockings were holding. Then use what little light outside had to offer to marvel at what had happened while I was sleeping.

Now, I’m not here to say that I didn’t have any Christmases of memory. In fact, Christmas morning produced some of the most memorable events from my childhood, and I am very thankful that I was able to experience those, while I know there were many less fortunate than me who cannot say the same thing. But that’s not why I’m here. I have no idea how times were back in the day, and I don’t know if this is something that will ever change, but I’ve started to realize more now than ever, that the anticipation always seems better than the actual… thing.

I don’t think this concept is too new to people, but I’ve never really given it much thought. Like Chuck Palahniuk says, “The unreal is more powerful than the real. Because nothing is as perfect as you can imagine it.” Doesn’t this bother anyone, when it’s related directly to something you’re anticipating? I know there are times when something completely surprises you, but it’s usually because you had low expectations to begin with. The anticipation is so high because there’s so much room for potential. When you’re sitting in an airport during the first moments of your vacation, there’s no end to how amazing your trip will be. When you place an order, your mind already thinks it’s going to be the best thing you’ve ever consumed. Flying down and around a roller coaster is exhilarating, but the climb, or the pause at the top, or the dip before the dive, those are the ones that get your heart racing. And same with people. Hours and hours of conversation could build someone up to be perfect, and then it’s a complete let down. Or the anticipation created during a courtship (yes maybe I am from the 18^th century), then being wholly disappointed when you finally give in to each other.

Is it possible to find a way to curb our anticipation? Would we ever not imagine something we desire to be amazing? Else, why would we desire it? Would having lower expectations be wrong? Is constantly trying to find someone or something that doesn’t lead you to be disappointed the ultimate goal?

I have a hard time finding answers to any of these questions. I love the idea that a Friday afternoon is the most exciting time of the weekend, even if you end up on a road trip to Nashville where you meet a band and make out with the lead singer. Well maybe not in that case. But the idea of potential is always powerful. In physics, potential energy only decreases once released. Though, if released in the right condition, the energy might rise steadily (no one look that up to prove me wrong, I don’t feel like doing research). Hell, this is the case with everything. Every book title and movie title and article title and name and face and place and job, everything holds the potential to be amazing, which usually only sets people up for disappointment.

At the same time, I don’t think it’s fair to call anything that doesn’t meet your expectations a disappointment, and I don’t think it’s fair to ask people to stop expecting the best case scenario. I just think if we’re more aware of the situation, and realize that even though our anticipation couldn’t be matched in reality, that doesn’t alter or taint the object or individual.