07 April 2018

Disappointment

I am writing to correct a grave misunderstanding.  On the 13th of April, 2014, I wrote:
I was quite disappointed when 2000 rolled around.
I have been informed by a very important person who was born in that year - on the 27th of December, to be precise - that she was quite hurt at my being disappointed.  How could the most glorious year of our time be a disappointment, given such an illustrious birth?

And of course it could not.  As I went on to explain:
Oh, OK, I wasn't really disappointed.  But it is true that for one born in the first half of the twentieth century, there was a magic about the idea of "the year 2000."
I had grown up with expectations around the figure '2000'
Only the first day I went back to work - Wednesday 5 January, 2000 - I took the same old diesel 'bus; wore the same baggy clothing; worked in the same buildings of concrete and steel.  For those not born in 1942, my disappointment may be surprising.  They had not seen futuristic drawings of 2000, with people in skin-tight clothes, commuting by personal helicopter, working in sweeping-line skyscrapers.
I only wished to correct this deeply concerning misunderstanding.  I wept to think I had caused someone to believe I was disappointed at the year of her birth.

We all do experience disappointments - and often ones that are far more serious than my, admittedly, light-hearted comments above.  Some are of great moment indeed.  All reflect our view of time - at least, they do so if we truly believe that '... all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28).  For what we want is the good that we have conceived - and we want it now.

This is natural.  It is very natural.  Our calling is supernatural.