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Disappointed with Life?
Disappointment by any other names....is still disappointment.
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Disappointment
There’s a pain that grows
Tentacles grasping
The raw fibers
Of the heart.
Like a jar of paint
dark as the ooze of grime
suddenly upturned
a blotch
a stain
that grows, spreads
deep and wide
like the stubborn sinews of the night.
The once beautiful page wearing
smears to
mar
to scar
mishappen to the perfect eye.
Disappointment is quite a part of life. Some people are more acquainted with it than others—another fact of life. Yet, for others, they seem to live above disappointment –their lives are nothing but glowing tales of glory and success. We like to think they live on green pastures, sleep in ivory towers and laze around serene blue waters of relaxation—maybe, they’re caricatures of fairy tales? But for most of us, dealing with disappointment is part and parcel of living this life. It takes on many forms and comes in all shades and grades.
Disappointment
Is the promise of hope
Smoldering in the fire of trials.
It’s the glow of love
Choked by the barbed wire
Of emotional thorns.
The blush of first love
Floundering and losing its way.
It’s the wish
that never grows wings.
The dream that perishes
In the heat of feverish eagerness.
The yearning that suffocates
In the tissue of fussing.
The cruel cutting of shoots
About to sprout.
The detours
The U-turns
The red light
The speed bumps
You’d rather not have.
If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere. ~Frank A. Clark
Disappointed? With love? With the promotion you never get? Or the dream college you worked your whole life for but they were dumb enough not to recognize your potential? Disappointed with your dismal online earnings or just plain disappointed with the people in your life (yourself included)? Although disappointment is often negative and words like these come to mind—letdown, crushed, devastated, sad, snubbed, beat down, hopeless, defeated, desperate and more –it may also be a time of reflection, a time to step back and reevaluate, a time of renewal and coming back to do life, stronger than ever.
If you’re going through a patch like this—where life seems to suck and everywhere you turn, you’re see dredges of disappointment, here are some quotes to tide you over:
Disappointed because of Unreasonable Expectation?
Hope is tomorrow’s veneer over today’s disappointment. ~ Evan Esar
I have never won a race, and that is my main disappointment—but you have to be positive. ~ Jean Alesi
If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment. ~ Henry David Thoreau
If you expect nothing from anybody, you’re never disappointed. ~ Sylvia Plath
We were promised sufferings. They were part of the program. We were even told, “Blessed are they that mourn, “ and I accept it. I’ve got nothing that I hadn’t bargained for. Of course, it is different when thing happens to oneself, not to others, and in reality, not imagination. ~ C.S. Lewis
Each difficult moment has the potential to open my eyes and open my heart. ~ Myla Kabat-Zinn
No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown. ~ Willliam Penn
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
It is a great art to laugh at your own misfortune. ~Danish proverb.
There are two ways to be happy; improve your reality, or lower your expectations. ~ Jodi Picoult.
Good is not good, when better is expected. ~ Thomas Fuller
When it is dark enough, you can see the stars. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Feel like that sometimes?
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Comments
Wow! You really worked the medium! You wrote a beautiful poem about disappointment. How can that be done? This is literary genius on the level of all those you quote.
I have had so many disappointments. This ministers to my heart, I have overcome my disappointments because of the jewels that the Lord has shown me. Thank you for this perfect pearl.
I really love the cat picture.. I have actually thought that if you can't make me thin make my friends fat.. LOl great hub.. I loved your poems.. life is a bunch of disappointments. you are right. It's how you handle these that makes you the person you are.
Voted way up
Debbie
I agree that life is full of disapointments for just about everyone. Some more than others. I've known many disapointments. The only way to live life to the fullest is to experience disappointment in additon to happiness, joy and everything in between. In fact, you can learn something and grow as a person from every disappointment. God works it for our own good regardless of what caused the disappointment. Some have more than others. One thing I believe is no one gets through life without having something difficult to deal with. For those of us who seem to experience more difficulty for whatever reason, in many ways we can be thankful for more opportunities to grow and learn. These experiences give us a greater depth which can lead to greater wisdom as well as knowledge.
I love the Emerson quote and I guess it fits my frame of mind --really great work --I loved how you wrote about disappointment without a sense of sentimentality--to me it felt pointed and true--Lovely, lovely job!
This is an awesome hub, from your poem, to your quotes and pictures. Happiness is really an inside job I believe. We all have disappointments and frustrations at time but focus on the positive. I really like the way you designed this page. Rated up and awesome!
Beautiful hub anglnwu, lovely poems and very nice thoughts on the subject of disappointment. It's something we all have to deal with in our lives. I've had my fair share of them and when one looks at it, those experiences provide you with the necessary contrast by which you come to much better appreciate your blessings. I love the quote by Frank Clark, so true.
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WD Curry, thanks for your very encouraging comments. You made my day. I wrote this after a week of disappointments--sometimes, they come like a swarm of bees--haha. I think it's almost impossible to do life without the goodness of the Lord. He's always there--even in the midst of our disappointments. Thank you so much for your kind words.
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Deborah, thanks for commenting. Yes, lol on the cat picture--I do feel like that sometimes, when everybody seems to be on the green pasture and I'm on the other side, looking on. But hopefully, moments like these are fleeting.
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Brandon, I agree with you--disappointments can be blessings--they help us grow, otherwise, we would be thoroughly spoilt with this good life. Thanks for commenting.
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Audrey, good to see you here. It's always good to have a poet visit your hub and I'm grateful for that. Thanks for your encouraging comments.
I like the Kitty Cat picture. Very cute message. I agree that disappointments are not fun. I also think that sometimes we just need to let ourselves feel bad for a while. Sometimes I just need to feel bad when I am disappointed. A kind word and a hug from a good friend or family member goes a long way toward smoothing over disappointments. I agree with you that looking to the brighter side of things can be very helpful. I can tell you are a sweet person.
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Pamela, good to hear from you. Thanks for your very encouraging comments. You're right on--happiness is an inside job, we can rise above our disappointments or let them slay us.
Beautiful quote about hope being the veneer for today's disappointments. I enjoyed the overall theme of moving on, looking forward and celebrating the joys in life that are sometimes overshadowed by disappointments. Best, Steph
Hi anginwu, this is just so nicely written, I love your poem on disappointment - that was quite amazing!
The quotes are great especially the cat:-)
A fabulous hub thank you and voted up.
Best wishes Lesley
Wow...I loved the poem, Angi.
Disappointment is a state of mind and you have captured it well here.
loved the quotes too.
Thanks since, quite inspirational :)
voted up as useful
Thanks for a beautiful but thought provoking Hub. It spoke to my heart. Thanks for the inspiring quotes too. I was reading the Hub with a straight face, reflecting on my life and then burst into a big smile when I saw the last photo. :)
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moira, thanks for adding to this hub with your comments. I agree that without disappointments, we would not be able to appreciate our blessings.
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Brandon, thanks for checking back. I couldn't agree more with what you say--a kind word, a shoulder, a listening ear--they all help to ease disappointment. Thanks for your kind words as well.
Angeline, I love everything in this hub: the beautiful poems, inspirational quotes and funny pics. I think disappointment is something we all experience. It's a truth of life. Optimistic people like to learn from their big disappointment, whereas pessimists like to make a big fuss over their small disappointment.
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Stephhicks, glad you enjoyed the hub. You're right, we must not allow the disappointments of life to overshadow the good things of life. Thanks for commenting and always good to hear from you.
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MM, thanks for reading and rating it up. I'm grateful for your support. Your kind words are enough to tide me through....disappointments and all. Have a great day!
Ruchira, thanks for your encouraging remarks. You're right--we can always adjust the frame of our minds to rise above disappointments.
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Haha, lady E, the cat really gets to us. I love it too. Thanks for dropping by to comment and thanks for posting it on fb too.
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Om, thanks for your encouraging comments. You're very observant--the way people react to disappointment. No wonder optimists are always cheerful (well, for the most part).
Beautifully written, angInwu. You are such a good writer. The photos are humourous too. Such a wonderful hub with beautiful writing and humourous photos to think and laugh at life.
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Ingenira, you make my day with your encouraging comments. I'm so glad you stopped by to offer fuel for joy.
I never complain, never give up, or even disappointed with life. I must say "thank you very much to God" with my condition right now. My friend, you send beautiful messages for us by writing these poems. Good job and rated up!
Love and peace,
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prasetio, I admire your attitude. Gratitude is a great way to fight disappointment. Thanks for sharing your insight and I should remember that the next time,I'm tempted to let myself wallow!
Hi Anglnwu! Great, inspiring hub. I have been disappointed much of late. Perhaps I need to work on my attitude. Thanks for sharing!
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Dexter, sorry to hear that. Actually, I wrote this hub after weeks of disappointments--they seem to appear everywhere. Like you say, attitude helps and for me, particularly--the fact that God knows my pain and that everything happens for a reason helps. I hope you're things are looking up for you. Take care and God bless.
When it is dark enough, you can see the stars. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson This struck me today. Gives us a different perspective indeed about the painful things in our lives. Great hub! :)
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ripplemaker, I love that quote too--so true and comforting. Thanks for dropping by to comment.
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