Love In The Face of Disappointment

Unless you have been extraordinarily fortunate in your life, odds are you have experienced many disappointments in life. In this human path, we face disappointments every single day. Most of the time the disappointments are small and easily manageable. An example would be our favorite sports team losing a big game to a bitter rival.

At other times the scale of disappointment expands into something that carries a bigger punch like not receiving a well deserved and highly anticipated promotion at work. And on occasion, the disappointment brings you to your knees like the dissolution of a long term relationship with someone you have deeply loved and trusted.

If Love is the most powerful force in the world, as I so passionately advocate, the question that arises is how does the most potent force in the Universe show up in the face of disappointment? How can Love help us navigate the wind being knocked out of us when defeat comes knocking at our door?

When our predominant pattern of thinking resides in the negative, fear based side of things then any disappointment we experience will be loudly paraded through our thoughts, by the ego, as undeniable evidence that the world is indeed a scary and treacherous place and you better hunker down for it is only going to get worse.

For those who have developed thought patterns that breed a bountiful field of Love infested beliefs and perspectives then a whole different experience unfolds. Love always looks through the lenses of neutrality. Love reminds us that there is a purpose for everything that happens in our life, even if that purpose isn't clear to us in that moment. It reminds us that there is always a bigger picture.

Rather than the event becoming a prophecy of future damnation, Love reminds us it is a powerful launching pad of growth, inspiration, and opportunity. Love never sees a disappointing event as a bitter ending. It always sees the situation as a new beginning impregnated with possibility, wonder, and enticing possibility.

So what advice do I offer up if you are in the throws of a recent disappointment? Very simple. Sprinkle it immediately with kindness, openness and tenderness. Drop the details of the betrayal. Turn your eyes to the bigger picture. From the heights you will gain new perspective. From the heightened perspective you will start to feel new excitement. That excitement you feel is the birth of Love. Enjoy the bitter turning into sweetness!

With Love ~ Tom