In life, if there is one thing that cannot be missed by most, if not all, is EXPECTATIONS. This 12 letter word is quite a dreadful word, so much so that, I oftentimes wonder, if this is all there is to life - expectations? When I think deeply, I see that an individual's life is made up of almost 99.999% others' expectations, & whatever else is left (if any), is his. How much more cruel can an individual's life get than the fact that in all practicality, we merely seem to exist to fulfill others' expectations?
In almost every role I play in my life (by design, choice, or by accident), expectations chase me & almost always push me to the walls. Think of it, parents, spouse, children, friends, relatives, almost everyone has some or the other expectation from the individual. Even the beggar on the street expects something as we walk past him. Is there nothing called - MY OWN LIFE? These expectations are so cruel that an individual may be torn apart running after them day and night to fulfill them. In fact, they bind the individual to an extent that, he may not even realize that there is something called his own life. How unfair.
The disturbing part about expectations is that everybody seems to justify them because of the relation to the individual. Parents justify saying - you are our son / daughter, & so it is natural for us to expect from you. Similarly do spouses, children, & others also justify, in fact impose their own expectations. While it may be justified, even fair to expect, what bothers me is that NOT EVEN A SINGLE THOUGHT IS SPARED FOR THE INDIVIDUAL. Even if there occurs a thought, it is very likely to get pushed behind those expectations. The situation seems quite dangerously - I WANT MY POUND OF YOUR FLESH, BECAUSE ITS MY RIGHT AS A PARENT, SPOUSE, CHILD, FRIEND, EVEN THE UNRELATED ONES.
In such a situation, one cannot help but feel bound by expectations. What happens to individual freedom then? Is not individual freedom the highest virtue to pursue in life? In pursuit of this virtue, wouldn't there be a fairly high probability that the individual may actually achieve something significant in life? An achievement which may be of very important consequence to society, the Nation, & of course future generations? Does individual freedom lead to selfishness? Does it lead to an egotistical person for whom only ones own self matters, & cares a damn about others? While it does appear so from the outside, it is not the case in reality.
There is this very profound saying - with freedom comes tremendous responsibility. Freedom does not mean that one begins to act recklessly or irrationally. On the contrary, freedom means responsible conduct of oneself in pursuit of ones own goals in life. It means, being fair while pursuing ones' interests & not getting cowed down by others & their expectations. While it may seem natural for many people to expect from the individual, the individual has to put it straight and define how much of what expectations can be expected from him. Since we live in societies & in groups, the chances of us getting cowed down due to comparisons and peer pressure is very high. Hence the need to set expectations right and clear upfront. This will also be helpful in safeguarding our own individuality. Every individual is unique, & that uniqueness needs to be defended. This defence of ones' individuality gives birth to individual freedom; and this, in my opinion, is perhaps the most important possession any man can have - INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM. This also happens to give the individual his real identity.
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