Written by Karen D. Swim

“We have to be willing to get rid of the life we had planned so as to live the life that is waiting.”

I planned to be a wife and mom (after my original idea of Queen of the World fell through). I was going to be bake cookies, volunteer with the PTA and hang out at the park with the other moms. At age 39 I was widowed and childless – this was definitely not according to the plan!

Life very often does not go according to our plan. There have been many times when things have worked out better than I ever could have planned. Better than plan is a reason to rejoice, dancing on the table tops kind of rejoicing. We never question “better than planned” because we are too happy celebrating our good fortune.

Ah, but when we get “not even close to plan” results, we question the unfairness of it all. We are disappointed, frustrated and perhaps angry.

Disappointment can be fleeting or it can suck your soul dry leaving you bitter and empty. You can waste years mourning what you believe you should have had or you can embrace what you do have. It is a choice we get to make often because life frequently does not go according to plan.

How do you handle disappointment? Has a setback ever turned out to be a positive experience in your life? Do you buy me as a PTA mom? 🙂