Expectations

What is a cat doing in a blog about expectations? Because sometimes what you expect is not what you get. And that can be a fabulous thing.

This is my cat, Baxter. This is the first cat who has ever owned me, my s.o. and the dog. When I first decided I wanted a kitty, since it was my first, I decided to get a little, i.e. small six-or-seven pound, cat from our local shelter. A short hair. I perused the shelter's online site and fell in love with the adorable, tiny face of the little kitty above. Out I drove to the shelter, carrier in hand...No, it is not a small window in the photo it is a large window. It took both hands and a lot of leg strength to haul my 18 pound new unhappy long-haired friend home in the carrier. He grumbled all the way home. I expected that he'd be quiet after he settled down, like other cats I know. He settled down and became much more vocal.

Only one of my expectations came true: there is a cat in my family. Am I upset? No. Disappointed? Not at all. Grateful? You bet.

Because Baxter is a character who fills my life with laughter and love. I didn't get what I expected. I didn't get what I thought I wanted. I got something better.

If I had refused to take Baxter because he didn't meet my expectations, I would have lost a lot. I try to remember that in my life.

What expectations do you have? What do you do when they're not realized--or realized in a way you didn't expect?