To serve its purpose

As I have previously mentioned (several times), this is a therapeutic practice for me. And there is something I need to shed.

I grabbed a quote from Dad's blog, and placed it on my MSN tagline today. "People behave as they are. Embrace what you actually get." Epictetus. That pretty much sums it up.

I recently poured my heart and soul into a very thoughtful gift for a friend, despite the fact that the friendship has been somewhat strained of late. I still wanted the friend to have the gift, because I felt that they deserved it. A way to mend fences, so to speak.

So when I presented this gift to said friend, I got a muttered, "Thanks", as it was tossed in a bag.

That was it.

I expected some sort of contact later, once they had a chance to see what it actually was, and realized that I've spent three months (no exaggeration) producing it.

But nothing.

I didn't expect much. I just wanted some affirmation that I haven't wasted the past three months.

But apparently I have.

I am striving, with great difficulty, to avoid cynicism. But, to poorly quote Austen, the more I know of the world, the more I am convinced that I shall always be disappointed by people.