Expectations

Goodness knows how it came about, but I have been thinking about expectation today.  I know I am a sick puppy, but in the study of a word, I like to look it up, and look at its meaning.
I was really amazed today, to see that an interchangeable word for expectation is hope.  As is my custom, I looked up different dictionaries to get a sense of what it means.  It seems to really help if I sound like I know what I am talking about.  I may not of course, but if I sound like I do, it seems to help.
Expectation is a neutral word.  The expectation may be good as in “they will get a lot in their inheritance” or it can be bad as in “they will get what’s coming to them.”  It seems that, whenever it is put that way, whatever is coming to them is never seen as a good or desirable thing.
It depends what an expectation is built on, that determines if it is reasonable.  For example, it is reasonable for a boss to ask someone to do something, and expect it will be done.  Put it this way, if that job is not done, the person asked, may have a very short time with that company.  We had a path built, and the boss said a young fella was coming to do something.  He never turned up, and the boss did it himself.  I cannot help but wonder if that young fella is still with the company.
On other occasions an expectation could more correctly be called a hope only.    Someone may say they will do something, and my expectation is they will do it.  It is not guaranteed though.  There may be all sorts of legitimate reasons why something is not done, but until it is done, there is no guarantee.  I may be disappointed, or the expectation may be met, or it may be exceeded and I am pleasantly surprised. The point is, expectation is neutral and is dependent on outcome.  If the expectation has regularly been met in the past, there is a good chance, it will be in the future.
This sounds terrible, but it is a real life thing.  As far as expectations go, I have a coping mechanism.  It has worked for me.  I had a friend.  I know that sounds incredible in itself.  I had a friend, who often said they were going to do something, and rarely did.  My expectation therefore was invariably disappointed.  Sometimes the expectation was met, but mostly it was not.  After a few times, I decided to change my expectations.  Instead of expecting something to happen, I started to expect that it would not.
Once I decided to do that, I found my expectations were met.  Sometimes I was pleasantly surprised.  The change for me, was that I was not regularly disappointed. 
I know people can expect something of me, and be disappointed.  I know though that I am trying.  At times I am very trying.  I guess for me it means, based on past experiences, sometimes my expectations are reasonable, and at other times I may need a plan b.
I am fond of saying I live in hope.  Another way of putting it, may be to say, my expectation for myself is a good one.  It is more to type though, so I may just say, I live in hope.