The ABCs of Feelings - D

Well friendly friends, let's see what the letter D stands for -I'm betting on disappointment - let's see.

According to Alexandra Delis-Abrams, Ph.D in ABC Feelings: A Learning/Coloring Book,

D stands for - ta da - feeling disappointed.

"We feel disappointed when something we want to happen doesn't happen, or when we don't get what we want.

"When you felt disappointed, did you feel tired, and just wanted to go where no one would see you?"

I remember times in my childhood when I felt disappointed - one time someone was going to pick me up so I could play at their house, and that didn't happen. I burst into tears. My mother gave me ice cream to calm me down.

Another time some neighborhood kids were going to see a Beatles movie and my mom wouldn't let me go. (I don't remember which one - I didn't see it.)

And another time, the same kids were going fishing in the canal near their old school,

and again my mother wouldn't let me go. I think I must have had a melt-down, because I remember one kid asking,

"What's wrong with her?"

and the older sister said, "She wanted to go, and now her heart's broken."

Ah yes, I thought - my heart is broken!

I think I spent most of my childhood - and maybe even life - with a broken heart.

Sheesh, what a waste!

I just recently discovered that facing the world with a smile

is way better than facing the world with a scowl.

People respond way better to you when you are smiling than they do when you are scowling.

I know, you all already know this!

(In many ways, I am late coming to the game.)

So now when I feel disappointed, I remember to face the world with a smile.

(It's way better than having a melt-down!)

Can you think of a time when you felt disappointed?