MEMO FROM NARA

Recently I read an article on aspiration and expectation, in which the author tried to bring out the difference between the two words. I could appreciate the difference but of course, the meaning of these two words dragged me to think more deeply. The author’s contention was that aspirations are good and expectations are bad because aspirations create strong desires and ambition in life whereas expectations make us lazy and leave us in a state of inactiveness. Ambition is the aim of every individual of all ages. Even an elderly person of 90-year-old will have certain ambitions which turn to be strong desires. Life itself is full of ambitions. The progress we see today in the world is because of peoples’ ambition. In fact, ambition leads us to action; hence aspirations keep us active, both in body and mind. Aspiring for great things better job, beautiful spouse, happy and healthy life is not a fault. In order to fulfil the aspirations we need to act and take appropriate actions. Many of our aspirations remain as ambitions only, unless we try to act and make our ambition a reality. Great people – scientists, politicians, engineers, doctors – are ambitious to achieve something in their life time. Those ambitions have made billions of people to enjoy a reasonably comfortable life all over the world.

On the contrary ‘expectation’ remains in ‘hope’ and ‘firm belief.’ We expect something to happen better. It is a confident feeling. Most of our expectations are theoretical not practical in the sense, they remain in paper not in action. We expect our society should be rich, happy and healthy. If it is not, we feel that it’s not to our expectations. Even in a simple arranged marriage, the bridegroom or the bride will be having great expectations for a happy married life, for which marriages are performed religiously following traditional rituals for many of which the couples do not even understand the meaning of those rituals. However, they expect good things to happen in their life because of performing those formalities in front of fire etc. Such expectations sometimes come true and may not be always. So the beliefs we hold on our expectations in a way make us idle and inactive.

It is very common to hear at railway stations that such and such train is expected to arrive at 10h 45min. It indicates that it is only an expectation, not certain and sure. In other words there is an element of doubt in the announcement. The authorities are safe in telling ‘expected’ so that no one can claim that the train is delayed in its arrival in spite of the announcement. Uncertainty is an element of expectation. People expect favourable things for them. If not, they are not happy. They start finding fault with others. It is a human nature. Expectation sometimes leads to disappointment too. We do expect our guests to arrive in time for a dinner. If they are late or not coming at all, then we get disappointed and worried. So expectations may bring unhappiness at times also.

On the other hand, if our expectation comes true, we are happy and say we are lucky. Such things are very rare. Keeping someone to expect is an act of suspense. If I meet someone’s expectation, it would be a great joy for both of us. Moreover, expectations lead to dependency. We expect everything from others. Instead expecting from ourselves is essential to lead a successful life. It needs self-discipline and self-determination. I feel expecting is not a bad act as long as the expectation is simple and possible.

Aspiration too is achievable if it is simple and possible. Certain aspirations are beyond our capacity to achieve whereas those may be simple for someone else. Therefore we need to put a limit to our aspirations so that with our available resources and ability we will be able to achieve it successfully. Aspire and expect are the two activities every one of us carries out every day. Good aspirations are always welcome because they are beneficial for us whereas expectations without action are not at all useful in anyway. I have lot of aspirations which are strong desires or ambitions. I try to achieve them by appropriate means. I do expect something to happen because of others help or kindness. But my expectations may happen or they may not happen. However, I have to be happy in either case!