Saturday, August 1, 2009

What did you expect?

The other night I was talking to a friend online, and it struck me that her life has pretty much turned out like the thought it would, and/or wanted it to. Husband, two kids, house, etc etc. Maybe coming to those things didn't happen as easily as one would have hoped, because life is always full of twists and turns. But for the most part, and I'm taking a liberty here, I think her life is what she expected and wanted.

Now, God-willing, each of us still has a lot more living to do. But I asked myself: Has my life turned out like I thought it would? The answer? Absolutely not.

I married a man I met online. I moved hundreds of miles away (ok, maybe that part I wanted, but didn't necessarily expect). I've moved six times in five years. I live, for all intensive purposes, in New York City. I work on Wall Street. I don't own a car. My apartment is 721 square feet. Probably the only things that have turned out like I thought they would are that I am married and work for a newspaper. I'm not by any means saying I don't like my life, or that it would've been better the other way, 'cause it's going pretty well. But no, it has not turned out like I expected. And I'm sure there are still more surprises ahead.

So what about you? Has your life, so far, turned out like you thought it would? Like you wanted it to?

2 comments:

Senegal Daily said...

Bwaha ha ha!

Umm... that's a big fat NO on what I expected. How could I have ever expected THIS? God had much bigger and better in mind than I ever (and I mean ever) dreamed of. That's not to say that I love it all (not hardly) or that I'd want to go through it again, but I can honestly say that every experience was worth it because I learned about God's character: faithfulness, love, strength, and source of joy.

So no, I can't say that I expected to be married to III, living in France, working with magazines in French, moving to Africa (again) or still having a nose ring as I approach 30. :)

Great topic, Stephanie. I heard a sermon last week on practicing the art of gratitude for God's blessings and I think this is a good exercise in thankfulness.

Kristin said...

Its not all that I expected! I didn't think I'd be living in MD (and putting an offer in on a house here). And I didn't imagine having a hard time having kids either.

It is strange how things work out, huh?