Quotes About Expectations

People told her she hadn't changed much, in a tone which hinted they were surprised and a little disappointed she hadn't.

It's fun to be almost grown up in some ways, but it's not the kind of fun I expected, Marilla. There's so much to learn and do and think that there isn't time for big words.

I'm so glad you're here, Anne,' said Miss Lavendar, nibbling at her candy. 'If you weren't I should be blue…very blue…almost navy blue. Dreams and make-believes are all very well in the daytime and the sunshine, but when dark and storm come they fail to satisfy. One wants real things then. But you don't know this…seventeen never knows it. At seventeen dreams do satisfy because you think the realities are waiting for you further on.

One does not sleep well, sometimes, when one is twenty-nine on the morrow, and unmarried, in a community and connection where the unmarried are simply those who have failed to get a man.

The boys like me as a pal but I don't believe anyone will ever really fall in love with me. Nonsense, said Emily reassuringly. Nine out of ten men will fall in love with you. But it will be the tenth I'll want, persisted Ilse gloomily.

Whenever you looked forward to anything pleasant you were sure to be more or less disappointed...that nothing ever came up to your expectations. Well, perhaps that is true. But there is a good side to it too. The bad things don't always come up to your expectations either...they nearly always turn out ever so much better than you think.

hat's the worst of growing up, and I'm beginning to realize it. The things you wanted so much when you were a child don't seem half so wonderful to you when you get them.

What if you never meet him? Then I shall die an old maid, was the cheerful response. I daresay it isn't the hardest death by any means. Oh, I suppose the dying would be easy enough, it's the living an old maid I shouldn't like, said Diana, with no intention of being humorous.

Aunt Wellington, of whom Valancy stood in abject awe, would tell her about Olive's new chiffon dress and Cecil's last devoted letter. Valancy would have to look as pleased and interested as if the dress and letter had been hers or else Aunt Wellington would be offended. And Valancy had long ago decided that she would rather offend God than Aunt Wellington, because God might forgive her but Aunt Wellington never would.

I suppose we'll get used to being grownup in time. There won't be so many unexpected things about it by and by–though, after all, I fancy it's the unexpected things that give spice to life.

Such presumption, said Aunt Laura, meaning for a Dix to aspire to a Murray. It wasn't because of his presumption I packed him off, said Emily. It was because of the way he made love. He made a thing ugly that should have been beautiful. I suppose you wouldn't have him because he didn't propose romantically, said Aunt Elizabeth contemptuously. No. I think my real reason was that I felt sure he was the kind of man who would give his wife a vacuum cleaner for a Christmas present, vowed Emily.

Oh, drat the men! No matter what they do, it's the wrong thing. And no matter who they are, it's somebody they shouldn't be. They do exasperate me.

Ruby Gillis says when she grows up she's going to have ever so many beaus on the string and have them all crazy about her; but I think that would be too exciting. I'd rather just have one in his right mind.

Gilbert would never have dreamed of writing a sonnet to her eyebrows. But then, Gilbert could see a joke. She had once told Roy a funny story—and he had not seen the point of it. She recalled the chummy laugh she and Gilbert had had together over it, and wondered uneasily if life with a man who had no sense of humor might not be somewhat uninteresting in the long run. But who could expect a melancholy, inscrutable hero to see the humorous side of things? It would be flatly unreasonable.

Some women's intended from the start to be old maids, and I'm afraid I'm one of them, Miss Shirley, ma'am, because I've awful little patience with the men.

Mrs. Lynde was complaining the other day that it wasn't much of a world. She said whenever you looked forward to anything pleasant you were sure to be more or less disappointed . . . perhaps that is true. But there is a good side to it too. The bad things don't always come up to your expectations either . . . they nearly always turn out ever so much better than you think.

It's a pretty good world, after all, isn't it, Marilla? concluded Anne happily. Mrs. Lynde was complaining the other day that it wasn't much of a world. She said whenever you looked forward to anything pleasant you were sure to be more or less disappointed... perhaps that is true. But there is a good side to it too. The bad things don't always come up to your expectations either... they nearly always turn out ever so much better than you think.

Oh, they meant to be – I know they meant to be just as good and kind as possible. And when people mean to be good to you, you don't mind very much when they're not quite – always.

And when people mean to be good to you, you don't mind very much when they're not quite—always.

And did she talk to him after that as usual? asked Sara Ray. Oh, yes, she was just the same as she used to be, said the Story Girl wearily. But that doesn't belong to the story. It stops when she spoke at last. You're never satisfied to leave a story where it should stop, Sara Ray.

I'm afraid concerts spoil people for everyday life.

Cornelia was rightfully Mrs. Marshall Elliott, and had been Mrs. Marshall Elliott for thirteen years, but even yet more people referred to her as Miss

Now, don't be looking I-told-you-so, Matthew. That's bad enough in a woman, but it isn't to be endured in a man.

What hurt her was that she had never had a chance to be anything but an old maid. No man had ever desired her.