Life's Little Surprises

A reader forwarded my challenge to change the world in 30 days (12/1/13) to a friend.  The friend responded that her husband "wins at this game daily--and he didn't even know he was playing."  What a gift this man has!  And, dare I say, I suspect the wife is richly blessed by this relationship as well. 

I have several spiritual practices that I've repeated periodically for most of 20 years: twice a year meditation retreat, gratitude journaling, gratitude meditation (9/24/13, 11/26/13,) rotating affirmations, and The Grocery Store Game (10/25/13).  Sometimes they will go along predictably for many cycles, and just when I think I know what to expect, the Universe throws me a curve ball and gives me a new lesson to learn.  I thank I can confidently say the curve balls have always been pleasant, just not what I expected.

My Thanksgiving gratitude meditation, which I've done for many years, for instance, took a new twist this year.  I've usually counted on my memory to recall each day and its gifts.  This year, I decided to enlist technology in my preparation.  Before I began my meditation, I went through my Outlook and iPhone calendars for the year, and I made note of things all year.  I can't say that I wouldn't have thought of all of them when I sat, but refreshing my memory was lovely.  A number of times I found myself smiling and remembering a conversation warmly.  Two friends--one across the country and the other in Canada--became standing conversation appointments.  How they enriched my life last year.  Having a reminder for lots of little things, like a new haircut/style and renting a car for a gardening adventure in March, was rich...a most pleasant surprise.

This afternoon, I had an Aha! moment about this round of The Grocery Store Game.  In the past my connections have been with people I didn't know and usually non-verbal.  I have had some of those, but to my delight today, I recognized that the game was surprising me this round.  Most of my days  at work are spent on a dead run.  I think most people would say that I am friendly: I always smile and cheerfully greet people.  Rarely, however, do I stop and talk to people as I move around the building.  I did that several times today.  At about 3:30 as I finished one such delightful conversation with someone I really don't know well, it occurred to me what was happening.  I was getting to know people who in the past had only been superficial acquaintances. What a sweet surprise!

I love surprises, and I find it such a gift to let life deliver surprises to me when I least expect them.  Even more a gift is being present enough to notice!