Expectations

I find that because I do certain things for others, I expect them to do the same or treat me the same way that I treat them. This doesn't always happen. We all have certain expectations of each other. It is hard sometimes to not have expectations of your friends who you think you are "close" friends with. Then you realize they don't respect you the same way you respect them. For any relationship to last whether its friendship, marriage, parents both parties have to know the expectations they have of each other. If they do not, there will be a lot of miscommunication as well as unspoken expectation. I have a friend in Manitoba and we have been friends for 5 years. At first she wasn't the nicest person to me but for some odd reason, I stayed friends with her. Even though she put me through a lot, she has gained a lot of respect for me and we both have an expectation of each other to keep in contact. It is kind of an unspoken expectation. We keep in contact not because we have to but because we want to. It took me a long time to accept her for who she was as well as to forgive her.  I have met a lot of different people and I find that most people were not the person I first thought they were. This was not always a bad thing however, as I get older I try to not have expectations of people and accept them for who they are. I also try to focus on their good points and not point out their bad ones because I to have made many mistakes in my short lifetime and nobody is perfect.