Great Expectations

When I was in first grade, my family moved mid-way through the year. Before that, I went to a school called Larsen Heights. My teacher was the dreaded Mrs. Zingler (question on spelling). To put it mildly, I did not excel in her class. By the time we moved, Mrs. Z. had already decided I should be held back another year.

But the family moved. The sad thing is that I don’t remember my next teacher’s name. What I do remember is that he immediately labeled me as “smart”, and I remember I excelled in his class. From that point on, it was A’s and B’s for me throughout my tenure as a student in the Moses Lake School District.

If memory serves correctly, he fought Mrs. Z.’s assessment that I should be held back, and I was not. From that point forward, all my teachers expected me to perform well, and I responded well to that expectation. This has held true in my life. There have been times in my life were I achieved the impossible due to the voices around me telling me I could.

I remember a few things about MLHS. One, my high school counselor called me into her office to ask me which university I would attend. I suppose I did have a choice, but her expectation led me down that road. I had been planning on applying for university on the west side of the mountain anyway. On a side note, I disappointed her a little. She wanted me to go to Harvard, and she wanted me to at least apply. LOL.

I remember months before I turned 18, I was summoned to the principal’s office. I remember all my classmates were like “O-O, what did you do?” The reason for the summons? They wanted me to register to vote. I have never missed an election since I was eligible to vote. I imagine I would have registered on my own, but again that (my duty to vote) expectation was placed before me.

I say all that to say this, I expect great things from President-elect Obama.

I realize that there are people who do not share my optimism. While I am getting hope-filled emails and texts, there are people who are sending out messages of gloom and doom. I even saw an email that declared that the great U.S.A. was dissolved on 11/04/08. What drama!

What am I getting at? I suppose I am getting at the importance of expectations. Perception is truly a powerful thing. Why not open your mind and heart to expecting something marvelous and divine. Once you are open to it, it will come to past.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, it is my desire for Obama to go down as one of the greatest presidents alive. And, yes, part of that wish is because of my pride in a fellow black person being voted into the highest office in this country. I also wish to negate the nay-sayers and those would seek to belittle and counter the hope that is spreading.

As some of you may know, I am a huge fan of Elizabeth I. At the beginning of her reign, England was one of the poorest, sitting-duck countries in the known world. When she departed the earth, England had entered its Golden Age and was a world power.

My hope and belief of the glory of the future is intense. I expect great things. That, I think, is half the battle.