Disappointed in both others, and myself

I have to say that I feel more than a little foolish from time to time for having faith in other humans, and today is one of those days. To be fair, I don't know for a fact that everyone I'm currently disappointed in actually let me down, but I will know by tomorrow and from what I've heard, I'm assuming correctly here. The problem is the World Lupus Day event and project that Jules has organized, with a submission deadline of last night and the big reveal of all submissions tomorrow. While I don't have lupus, and barely understand it in spite of Jules' posts, it still hits home with me for a number of reasons. As small as my contribution of some photos of origami butterflies are, I still took the project very seriously--the simple fact that I spammed the page out to pretty much everyone I know on Facebook should say that, because I never even pretend to pledge my time to an event or cause on Facebook unless I'm actually participating. Regardless of all other circumstances, I hate when people claim they're going to do something (for a cause or not) and never follow through, and Facebook causes reek of empty promises in most cases, so I avoid them in particular.

Odds are I expected too much of the friends and family that signed up for this event. But with the exception of one person who I know fully intended to participate and couldn't due to circumstances at work, I can't help but be disappointed in and a bit angry at others who have no excuse to have not turned in a project of some sort. And while I'm sure at least some of the others also had legitimate reasons, I know at least one person doesn't have any other reasons and that bothers me. It takes very little energy or effort to click on the "attending" button on Facebook for this type of thing; it takes even less energy to be honest and not click the link to begin with. I mean seriously, does it make you feel like a better person to make empty promises via the Internet? At least clicking "not attending" is honest, and if you don't click anything you can just pretend not to have seen the page to begin with. Either option is better than saying you'll do something that you know you won't finish.

I'm sorry for ranting, but this really does bother me. As I said, I don't have lupus, but between mine and Brian's own heath problems I know what it's like to have an illness that will never go away, that others will never fully understand, that causes serious pain and suffering for both the patient and his or her loved ones. Maybe that makes me more sensitive to the subject overall; I don't know, really. More likely it just makes me wonder what people would do if it were me asking for help because of mine and Brian's problems, and makes me wonder who I could actually rely on to provide that help, and who I shouldn't even bother to ask.

Then again, maybe I should just stop expecting of others the same level of commitment I expect from myself.