Anticipation can be both a wonderful and a terrible thing. Sometimes we can build something up in our heads to the point where we are a bundle of nerves - in a good way, or in a 'I could wet myself at any moment even though I am a grown person' way, simply through an ability to imagine the worst case scenario and run with it.
I am a genius at the latter. I can have a fatal illness before I've even made a doctor's appointment simply because I have an itchy eye. There is no doubt in my mind that said itchy eye means I have a rare and incurable disease which nobody else in the world has ever had before and my painful and horrible death will mean great advances in technology and the Kate Foundation for Weird Eye Diseases.
They may even make a movie.
With Alexander SkarsGod or Daniel Craig as my grieving and dedicated lovah.
Where was I?
Oh yes. Anticipation.
On the other hand, sometimes we build things in a frenzy of yay-dom to the point where the reality never quite matches up to the daydream. Which is also silly, as it means that whatever situation we are heading into is probably going to leave us feeling a little - well, flat - as the buzz we have created in our fertile little brains is much bigger than anything that life can match.
Usually.
On occasion though, if one is very lucky, the way one shivers with anticipation (to quote a certain Frank'n'Furter) turns out to be the way one shivers - or grins - when it comes to the real deal.
And for that, there should be gratitude overflowing.
Just pray that it is the good anticipation that works out in reality. Not the scary eye disease kind.
I don't actually want to have to find any gratitude for that.
Not even if they throw in Daniel Craig.
Seriously.