I used to trust without reservation. I believe that it is good nature to trust and give the benefit of the doubt but experience has taught me that it is safer to trust, but verify.
Permit me to say that what we label as betrayals, sometimes, are expectations taken too far. Those who moderate their expectations experience less disappointments and when they do, they are able to carry on without bruises.
I remember it was in summer. I checked in to the hotel on a Friday evening for a corporate event that lasted the weekend. It was a five star hotel but indulge me to reserve the name, at the risk of negative publicity. The ambience was good, the service was top notch and the food was quite appealing.
Every moment counted for a good experience until the very last minute which I call memorable. I learnt a lesson that has come to shape my reasoning forever after.
It was time to go and I remember it was a Sunday morning. I checked out and headed to the church to worship. It wasn’t quite five minutes after I drove out of the hotel premises when I remembered that I forgot my belt in the hotel room.
Please don’t laugh at me if I say that I loved and cherished the belt. It was a pure leather belt with designer buckle that my wife bought for me on a special occasion. Now you understand my special love for the belt.
I had enough time to drive back to the hotel to get my belt but I didn’t see the need to be late to church when I could easily stop on my way home from the church to get my belt. This is a five star hotel anyway. The name was reputable enough for me to trust.
About 30 minutes later I called the reception to alert them that I forgot my belt in the room and I would be coming back to collect it in about two hours time. I came back less than three hours later to be told that my belt was not in the room. Not that the room had been occupied by another customer but my belt got lost in less than one hour.
You may wonder, why am I sharing this story? Am I sharing the story to blame the hotel personnel for not indulging my carelessness? No, they were no longer answerable to me after I dropped the key to my room and checked out, more so that I had no proof that I left my belt in the room.
I am sharing the story to tell you that you should, please, moderate your expectation if you want to live a more peaceful life devoid of heartbreaks. My expectation was too high because I trusted the big name but I didn’t verify. I probably forgot that humans, not spirits, run the hotel, not minding that it is a five star hotel of international repute.
Many hearts are broken because of extreme expectations. A good number of times, we feel entitled and cry foul when our high expectations are dashed, forgetting that no one owes us anything.
Many cannot stand betrayals because they misconstrue the true meaning of betrayal. It is only the person you trust who can betray you. If you don’t trust me, it won’t be right for you to say that I betrayed you but can I tell you something? Don’t equate man with God. Only God is wise.
©️Akin Oluwadare Jnr
21 March 2022
