It explains the author’s distinction between the terms “expectation” and “expectancy.” I’ve included part of it here:“Let’s use the example of friendship and how removing the element of life from a noun can drastically alter a relationship.
If you and I are friends, there is an expectancy that exists within our relationship. When we see each other or are apart, there is expectancy of being together, of laughing and talking. That expectancy has no concrete definition; it is alive and dynamic and everything that emerges from our being together is a unique gift shared by no one else.
But what happens if I change that ‘expectancy’ to an ‘expectation’ – spoken or unspoken? Suddenly, law has entered into our relationship. You are now expected to perform in a way that meets my expectations. Our living friendship rapidly deteriorates into a dead thing with rules and requirements. It is no longer about you and me, but about what friends are supposed to do, or the responsibilities of a good friend.”
How often do our expectations get in the way of our relationships? How often do they color our attitude toward our circumstances? I wonder if we would do better to approach life with eager anticipation, but with fewer specific ideas for how things are going to work (or how people are going to respond).
Approaching people with expectancy rather than expectations enables them to be themselves, and allows us to experience the joy of discovery as we get to know them and appreciate their interests and abilities. Approaching the New Year with expectancy gives us an opportunity to enjoy each new day and whatever the future holds, rather than feeling disappointed when things don’t go the way we had expected.