December 10, 2019. Madison, Mississippi. Expectations.

Many of my friends get excited about a future event. I do not. My emotions are kept in check when thinking of a trip or an event in the future. I am pleased to be preparing for an event but I am not excited. I have been like that since I was 16 and received an awakening that until something happens, it might not ever happen. My friend was staying with our family while her parents were opening up the Jacksons Point Salvation Army camp for the summer. Major Halsey asked Fairie and I to come for the weekend to help. We were to be paid. I took my books to study because I knew that in two weeks I would be taking final exams. I have no recollection of how we got there but I learned at dinner that several young folks had arrived who would be working for the summer. At the same table was a young man from the Salvation Army Corps in Sarnia, Ontario. We hit it off. He was fun and funny and energetic and when we were not working, we spent all our time together. We swam and walked and talked. He played the piano so in the dining room after dinner, all the young folks would gather around the piano and sing. It was great fun being with him although there was nothing romantic about it. Needless to say, I did not crack a book. Fairie and I went back to school. I was looking forward to spending the weekend with that same young man as we had such a good time. So I left all my books home. At dinner Friday night, I discovered that the young man, whose name I can not recall had a new best friend, except now they were a romantic couple. He spent all his time draped over that other girl. I just laughed and learned my lesson, to never assume good times will be wonderful. I keep my expectations for future pleasures in check, and although I am pleased to think of future events, I never get excited. I learned that valuable lesson when I was 16. And it has kept me in check.