Disappointment...

"...I am comfortable with disappointment..."  Kate, Last Chance Harvey

I heard this line when I saw the movie and it summed up so many things for me... I don't want to be the kind of person that expects the worst, but I have been disappointed so many times that I am not surprised when someone does exactly what I fear most... that just seems to be expected.  I am to the point where I am not sure what is worse, having someone do exactly the thing I expect them to do and disappoint me, or actually be better than I anticipated?  I have no idea what to do when someone comes through and seems to be all the things I wanted them to be...

Have I just become so used to disappointment that I don't have the ability to give someone a fair chance?  What happens when faced with a person who lives up to all your expectations?  How do you give them the benefit of the oh-so-protective doubt?  Disappointment sits so comfortably on my shoulders...it is a constant companion.  So how is the cycle stopped?  Can you convince yourself to go into a situation truly with an open mind?  The fact is that for the most part I expect to be disappointed, and then when I am, I am just not surprised...  So, does this mean it is a self-fulfilling prophecy?  Do I choose the wrong people to put my faith in because having them disappoint me is so much easier to take based on prior experience?  Am I just really not taking a risk on anyone by doing this?  What would happen if I did take a chance?  Would it hurt even more if (when?) they let me down?