Surprise! When You Don’t Even Have to Ask
—Grace & Truth Linkup
It was on Day 1 of our beach vacation last May that I made the decision.
For the remaining days we were there, I’d journal three pages by hand in a notebook at the beach every morning, first thing.
I can blame it on Julia Cameron. I’d been reading her book, Write for Life. In it she suggests this idea of Morning Pages. I’ve done versions of it in the past, but never at the beach, and never by hand.
I really don’t like making a decision on the fly though. I’d rather think about it for awhile. Mull over my options. Look at the pros and cons.
Naturally, then, I’m not a big fan of surprises either. They can make me feel put on the spot, like I need to give an appropriate response to the surprise-giver with no time to think about it.
Later that evening on our way home from dinner, I suggested we stop at a Dollar General in Panama City Beach to purchase a spiral-bound notebook. I wanted a new set of pages to write in the following morning. I was committed to my spontaneous decision to begin Morning Pages.
Another family was walking into the store ahead of us as we pulled into the parking lot. They reached the clerk inside before I did. As I awaited my turn to ask if the store carried spiral-bound notebooks at the end of a school year, I overheard the woman in front of me ask the teen behind the counter:
“Do you have any spiral-bound notebooks?”
What? I turned my head quickly to Jeff. Did you hear what she just asked? About notebooks, too?
I listened to the clerk’s instruction to go two aisles to the left; the notebooks are on the bottom.
The family walked that direction, with me close behind. They picked out their notebook. I picked out mine.
We all paid and left the store.
I wonder what they needed their notebook for. It didn’t feel appropriate to ask. I was still in such surprise that we’d both wanted the exact same thing at the exact same time at the exact same place.
It reawakened in me the notion that, while we do often have to ask for what we want and need, sometimes we don’t.
Sometimes good and wanted things come to us without our asking.
As I wrote in my notebook on the beach the next few mornings, I delighted in its journey to me (although I loathed writing by hand; I’ve since returned to my beloved keyboard.)
I want to be more aware of the small but pleasant surprises around me in everyday life.
And, surprise!, maybe I can change my mind about surprises after all.
How do you feel about surprises? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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When I walked along the beach, I only picked up the perfect shells to bring home. But after reading Susan’s post, I realize I missed out by not also keeping a few broken shells.
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I first read about morning pages in a book called The Artist’s Way. I did it for about a year. I love writing by hand. I stopped because I had so many things I wanted to do in the morning that I just didn’t have enough time. I enjoyed it while I did it though.
Some people call those kinds of surprises coincidences and others call them God moments.
sometimes the small surprises are the best gifts. as i read, i was thinking, ‘maybe the other woman is going to journal, too.’
now i’m wondering what she did with hers …
Yes, so intrigued by the timing of the other person’s purchase! And it’s not “back to school “ yet …
Not a huge fan of surprises either!
And I miss the enjoyment of writing by hand. The PD is taking my handwriting, but I still write a little by hand everyday as my own self-prescribed physical therapy regimen. I didn’t realize how important my signature and my handwriting were to me…
Hi Lisa,
If I get stuck while writing, I’ll sometimes pick up a notebook and begin scrawling with a pen in hand. It seems to help–although I prefer typing on my keyboard, too.
However, I LOVE surprises! 🙂
Blessings,
Tammy
What a great story, Lisa! I’m with you … I much prefer typing to writing. But I do use notebooks for answering questions in the books I read with a friend. I’m trying to decide if I like surprises or not … I think I’d have to say yes. 🙂
“I want to be more aware of the small but pleasant surprises around me in everyday life.” Oh, me too, Lisa! Thank you for this important reminder. 🙂 Love and blessings to you!
Morning Pages sounds like a delightful habit to develop, but also time-consuming. I’ve been keeping a daily journal titled “A Celebration of Small Things” for over six years now. I don’t write a lot, usually just a few sentences. But the discipline has opened my senses to savoring the delights of life that often go unnoticed: graceful steam curls from my coffee cup, boisterous laughter of a grandchild, a thoughtful salesclerk, crisp sheets–you get the idea! I do believe the practice has contributed toward a more positive attitude.
What an uplifting story–both the thread of your spontaneous decision and the intersection of another notebook-needer. This line does my heart good: Sometimes good and wanted things come to us without our asking.
I have to admit, I am not a fan of surprises. At all. I shudder at the few surprises in my life (most know me well enough not to go there) that I have “ruined” with my less than enthusiastic or even appropriate response. Sigh. I was just sure you were going to ask the lady in front of you….and she was planning to journal as well!:)
I’m not a fan of surprises either Lisa especially with Fibro fog!
I love how God blesses us in the moment.
blessings, Jennifer
Love this!