Lost in the stewardship of expectations

Stewards on a ship of life

We are stewards, people with responsibilities to care for, employed to look after, appointed to supervise arrangements, engaged to manage or look after things.

In our stewardship, we cater to people and events, we put things in order, we manage resources and things, we ensure that arrangements follow some process or procedure.

Yet, stewardship can extend to the management of ideas, time, and expectations. The management of ideas which would come from a range of thoughts can inform decisions and direction, see one take up opportunities or even chart the course of destiny.

The management of time is one of first the awareness of its presence, the marshalling of things to fit schedules and procedures, maybe arrange meetings, even it might just be the plain knowledge of it for the purposes of punctuality which is the fundamental expression of consideration, courtesy, and respect to others. It is always appreciated.

The stewardship of expectations

The more nebulous one is the stewardship of expectations. Expectations are not usually set out clearly, as aims and goals to aspire to. People just expect that from influences, association, observation, education, or plain common sense, combined or discretely, that those of whom much is expected do not need to be addressed on the matter apart from receiving a commendation.

Yet, in the stewardship of expectations, many of us fall short, short of the goals we have set for ourselves or of the standards we are expected to demonstrate without direction, instruction, or tutelage. Falling short of expectations leads to disappointment and sometimes dents the structure of trust which could defeat the goals of enterprise.

We can fall and claw back up

Expectations, the many for which others harbour regret, for what could have been, if only other things were equal. Our imperfections laid bare before those we have not pleased, the promise we make to both ourselves and others to do better, sometimes without a clear knowledge of whether incapacity, indolence, or carelessness informed our plight. We could be more soulsearching and introspective.

In this, one should beware of becoming sanctimonious, for the danger of being consumed with hubris looms large. We as sinners seek sainthood that could be out of our grasp, but we strive on regardless. In our humanity is the salvation of the helpless. In our humility is the recognition of true remorse.

In the end, for the question asked in the measurement of expectations, nothing but honest answers will suffice, to vacillate is to infuriate. Matters will not be helped if we cannot candidly own up to our failings.