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A Poison Within Us
By: John Kazerooni
Expectations are an inescapable part of the human experience. From the moment we form relationships—whether with family, friends, or society—we begin to cultivate hopes and desires for how these connections should unfold. While some level of expectation is natural and necessary, too often it becomes a poison we carry within, silently corroding the bonds we cherish most. We believe we are justified in expecting certain behaviors, outcomes, or responses, but in truth, these expectations are often reflections of our own insecurities and desires. Left unchecked, they cloud our judgment, distort our reality, and become toxic to our relationships and inner peace.
At its core, expectation is a form of selfishness, subtly woven into the fabric of our lives. We expect others to behave in ways that align with our needs and values, forgetting that they, too, are navigating their own paths. When people fail to meet these expectations, disappointment seeps in, and resentment follows. We begin to question the integrity of our closest friends, the loyalty of our relatives, and even the reliability of societal norms. What once seemed solid and trustworthy becomes blurred by our own inflated expectations, casting shadows over the truth.
This poison of expectation doesn’t just affect our external relationships—it also clouds our internal landscape. The more we expect from life, from others, and from ourselves, the more our minds become cluttered with dissatisfaction. Our thoughts get weighed down by imagined outcomes that rarely come to pass, creating a cycle of disappointment and frustration. In this state, we are unable to see the beauty of the present moment, as our minds are busy sifting through the rubble of unmet desires.
But what if we could free ourselves from this burden? To live without expectation is to live in a state of liberation. When we release our minds from the need to control outcomes, we open ourselves to the purity of life as it is. This emptiness, far from being a void, becomes a space of clarity and peace, where divine feelings of contentment and acceptance arise naturally. In this state, our minds are litter-free, unburdened by the weight of expectation, and we can fully appreciate the present for what it is—rather than what we believe it should be.
The question remains, however: Are we, as individuals and as a society, ready to free ourselves from this poison? Can we train our minds to let go of expectations that so often lead to suffering? And if so, what is the cure? The path may lie not in eliminating hope or desire, but in learning to embrace life’s uncertainties, allowing space for the unexpected, and practicing acceptance of what we cannot control.
These questions linger: Will we ever free ourselves from the burdens that slowly erode our happiness? How do we train our minds to overcome these toxic expectations? Is there truly a cure for the poison within us? ...
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