I wasn’t expecting that
Life is full of surprises…from small things like a ladybug landing on your arm to jarring things like a 5.7 earthquake…from pleasant things like a visit from an old friend to disagreeable things like a flat tire.
One thing is for certain…life is more enjoyable when you learn to expect the unexpected…go with the flow…hang on and enjoy the ride…
Let’s see, what other cliché can I use here?
Not every surprise requires deep contemplation or life tools though. Some simply make you smile. Like a flower that grows in the crack of the sidewalk. Or a stranger who smiles at you.
Or when my mother-in-law who is no longer verbal suddenly pointed and whispered, “You got new shoes!” She was right. I did get new shoes, but I certainly did not expect her to notice or to use her precious little strength to acknowledge them. Now I smile whenever I put those shoes on.
What is the last happy thing that caught you by surprise? Did you smile just now when you thought about it? Please share it with us in the comments, so we can smile too.
I definitely smiled when I read Betty noticed your new shoes. She is so sweet. ❤️ The last surprise that made me smile was I got my own desk at work. Sounds silly, but I felt appreciated.
It is the simple pleasures in life, isn’t it, Cindy? Having your own space, and the appreciation that conveys, is something to smile about. Enjoy!
When my mom said my name several times the week before she passed away. I hadn’t heard her say my name in at least 3 years. She also remembered a few swear words that week. Little things that mean a lot and made me smile and laugh.
That is so beautiful, Stacie, that your mom spoke your name in her final days. I hope the swear words weren’t in the same sentence! ? Seriously though, I am glad you had that special time with your mom. We are definitely in that phase with my mother-in-law right now. It’s such a difficult, but also tender time.
I loved reading that! Oh how sweet that memory will always been with words from your mother in law about your sneakers!
My most recent delight which made me smile was arriving at my local ocean beach after an absence of almost a month to see that the different tides as winter leaves us, brought back the many thousands of tiny shells, pebbles and rocks. This will be my last year to see these delights – and take photos – as we are moving back to the capital city in early 2023.
Denyse
I’m glad to hear you are savoring these days at your beloved ocean beach and building memories to take back to the capital city with you. Enjoy!
What a sweet moment with your mother-in-law. I remember having moments of joy like that with my father, who suffered from dementia for several years before he passed away. He couldn’t remember recent events, but he never lost his sense of humor and was always cracking me up.
Dementia can be such a cruel disease, but I’m glad it did not strip your father of his sense of humor and that you have those happy memories of him.
What a lovely little memory about those shoes Christie. For some reason I was thinking about a video my SIL took of my very young kids long ago when she visited. Video recorders were way out of our budget back then, and remembering what a gift it was gave me a quiet smile today (33 years later!)
I love those memories that can bring a smile even decades after the event, Leanne. I also remember when videos were a luxury, and even photographs were a more intentional thing, not so easily at our fingertips. Remember the anticipation of getting the film developed to see if you got any good shots? And choosing your final photos carefully because there were only a few left on the roll?
I smiled. New shoes need to be noticed. Last thing that took me by surprise was realizing that a squirrel had stolen a pepper from a plant on the deck, bit into it [I can see the teeth-y marks], then spit it out because, I assume, it was too spicy hot for him. Couldn’t stop laughing at the little thief getting his comeuppance.
I can just imagine what that squirrel thought of your plant choices, Ally!
What a lovely moment and it brought a smile to me as well. One that made me smile recently was hubby vacuuming the rugs. I had been meaning to do it (travelled last weekend and still not back into my rhythm!) …. but he just took out the vacuum and did it. Not something I’ll recall like your moment… but yes, a moment of gratitude for sure.
That’s definitely a pleasant surprise, Pat. Love that little moment of gratitude.
Your MIL’s new shoes comment made me smile too! Thank you for sharing this.
Happy to share the smiles, Donna.