PLAN TO BE SURPRISED

I watched this movie "Dan In Real Life" in Blink Cinema this morning with my toast, a cup of hot chocolate, and a banana on the side. The movie is also about family and the relationships therein. Nice movie. But the best part was this line spoken by actor-comedian Steve Carell as the movie ended.... 'Plan to be surprised'.

How do you do that? I mean consciously. Isn't a surprise just that.. a surprise? Unexpected, unintended, unplanned. But I liked that line so much that it made me think. Really think. The 'plan' part of it was where my thoughts gathered.

When I woke up this morning quite feeling good with myself.. the day.. and the night that passed. I should explain this that the books I have read over the past few years have undoubtedly influenced the way I look at my day quite more on the track of positivity. And so too has life done that to me. And so I have learned, at least with conscious effort. You have to give me credit for that. So then with an expectant heart leading the way I got up and out of bed anticipating to fill up my basket from the hidden treasures of a wonderful day. Who knows maybe there is ready a surprise or two in it for me. How lovely can that be!

I guess that is the answer. You, me, them, we ---- should set the stage with the mind ready and an open heart willing to be touched by awesomeness, newness, wonder, magic. When we deliberately open our doors wide for blessings to enter (and truly they are blessings), things begin to happen to delight our senses, us, our lives so wonderfully. We begin to see so much better that which we have never paid much attention to before. Things and people we have always ignored or taken for granted.

A day without surprises is not the day's fault.
Be open to life. Surprise! Surprise!

EXPECTATIONS YOURS AND MINE

I start out with a set of expectations for every new experience coming my way. But almost always these expectations get dumped or brushed aside because something else is being formed or brought forth holding its own distinct wonder and flavor.

But if I so stubbornly held on to my expectations, it would have come out in a far different way I think. It would then be something that was according to ‘my’ wants, ‘my’ set of parameters or conditions, and ‘my’ desired results.

Where is the thrill in that? ‘Expectations’ rob the thrill off a new experience. Yes, they do. And if you’re going to say that one can’t detach himself from having expectations on anything and everything, I’ll say yes to that, but…..let those expectations be tempered with knowing that some things will happen when they happen without any help from you.

So don’t try to color it by setting down expectations, yours, for it to arrive at ‘your’ desired results. Let the new experience ride. Let it reveal to you its wonder, beauty, joy, magic, adventure, delight, wisdom, truth in its own distinct and unique way.

Let it perhaps squeeze out of you feelings which you may have forgotten or have chosen to ignore. Let it alter some old preconceived notions about things and people, perhaps make you see that perhaps you have been wrong about them after all?

Expectations are good, has its uses, but don’t let it stand in the way of wonder and learning.