I have always been one who greatly dislikes BIG surprises. I can handle small surprises but not large ones. I think this has something to do with the feeling that I need to be in control. With surprises, there is almost a fear behind them, a "what if" an "unknown." Perhaps this is why I like to just listen to conversations sometimes without actually participating. Same idea. In my mind, the quieter I am, the more information I can gather about the person or the people or life events so that there are "no surprises."

One of the most vivid surprises I can remember in my lifetime was my dad's surprise 50th birthday party. Everyone came. We were waiting in the family room and when he walked through and saw that his brother had made the trip all the way from New York City, he began to cry. And for the rest of the night, he was certainly in awe of the party made for him, but you could tell he was also in shock. He was trying to just take it all in, silently, introspectively. He was almost in a daze. But I suppose this is what marks a quality surprise-the ability to place unexpected whimsy in a room that simply takes your breath away.

Today I changed my mind. Surprises (the good kind) are actually needed in this life. They instill an energy and a whimsy that is unable to be reproduced by just a "good life event." Sometimes whimsical surprises can breathe life back into your ordinary routine. I had just finished attending church. I drove home, parked and walked up the snowy steps to the apartment. As I opened the door, I began to think about the routine of today: Making meals, finishing lesson plans, cleaning the apartment. As I looked straight ahead into the dark kitchen, I found my husband's face smiling with a "surprise!" I screamed ( a little) but felt unmistakable joy as I realized we finally had one weekend day together for the first time in many months. 

Just thirty minutes before, I had prayed for patience regarding schedule. And the prayer was delivered this fine Sunday morning through one whimsical surprise. Life is full of unanticipated and anticipated events (some good and some bad.) However, if you deny the ability to "let go" just a little, you will miss all the tiny, unexpected and joyful surprises that may enter into your life. Unexpected can be filled with whimsy.