Expectations

First of all, let me make this clear right from the start, I am not expecting. I have to put that out there, as some people might suffer a heart attack reading the title and finding out big news like that on my blog.

When you start thinking about the future, about the person you want to be with, your fantasy runs wild. You imagine a person as smart as Stephen Hawking, as witty as Zach Braff, as attractive as Chris Hemsworth, as persistent as Gordon Ramsay and growing old gracefully like George Clooney. And yes, that’s what I imagined anyways, but here is the funny thing about expectations, when you least expect it, a person can and will exceed your expectations far beyond anything that you could have ever imagined, if you just let them.

When I met A, almost six years ago, I expected there something to be wrong with him. I expected a huge deal-breaker. Because if your dating history ever teaches you anything, it’s that not everyone is perfect for you. Some people like getting up at the break of the dawn while I love sleeping in. Some people have it in their nature to be super messy while I prefer tidiness. Others like to obsess about what to wear for hours while I grab whatever clothes I can find in my drawers. And then there are some people, like me, that don’t know how to appreciate food, while others believe eating food is like having an epiphany.

Truth to be told, I never thought about being a deal breaker for someone else. I perceived myself as perfect (other than the usual things, one doesn’t like about one self… Hair too short, being too tall, having big hands, big ears… you name it). Don’t get me wrong, I have a pretty realistic perception about myself. I know that I could be better in some areas. I could be less stubborn, more understanding and more forgiving, but then again, if you can blame the world for their wrongs, why would you start with yourself?

So, when I met A, I expected a million deal breakers. Literally every day I was expecting a no-go and every day, when I thought, this was it, he amazed me with his awesomeness. Yes, he can be messy and he can be ridiculously loud at 5 am in the morning and he can uber dramatic about the silliest things, but see, this is what makes him perfect to me.

I am not telling you this, so you can roll your eyes at me (go ahead, I had it coming) but because when I first met him, I didn’t expect him to be so amazing. He is hard working and persistent and never gives up, no matter how steep the incline and he reaches the top with a smile.

Why on earth would I tell you all of this? Do I have a point? Why yes, I do! Tomorrow is A’s birthday and me being in Hong Kong and him being temporarily in Ireland doesn’t allow us to celebrate together. But if you want to celebrate with us, I recommend, that you look at a person in your life that you expect to have a lot of deal-breaks and let them wow you. I promise you, you will be surprised.

Just as I was, when I read these lines about my best friend:

A is one of the few experts on accessibility and web-technology in Norway. At the moment he is partaking on an international conference on accessibility and web-technology organized by the EU.

And this about a man who would take his hamster anywhere with him for emotional support, if only he could. So in short, yes, he has exceeded my expectations every single day. He is amazing, not only for his academic and professional achievements but because after almost 6 years, he still wows me with little things.

This is for you, A! Happy birthday!

(and since I can’t bake or cook or do anything useful in the kitchen other than doing dishes, A’s birthday cake to me from a couple years ago, will have to do)