Try Googling that phrase. You’ll get almost four and a half million hits, from song lyrics to book titles to lines in a poem to comments on photos to – whatever. Isn’t it strange, then, if it’s that pervasive a notion, that we so rarely actually let ourselves do it? We always look for what we think will happen, we expect a particular result, we expect that the perfect pickup line will get the perfect date. And we make the world a sadder, more disappointed place when the unexpected happens.
Yet the phrase we use so freely tells us just to let go of expecations, anticipate nothing and enjoy everything that comes our way. And the world becomes a happier place no matter what.
We have been struggling with keeping the twins in piano lessons. There are a number of challenges there, ranging from practice time to financial. Their mother had applied for a bursary for music education but it was a long shot and we heard nothing for many months. We did the math and the logical expectation was that we would pull them out at the end of this month. That expectation made them and us very sad; they enjoy piano and were getting a fair bit out of it despite the limited practice time.
But yes, the unexpected happened. Against all odds, and completely out of the blue, the bursary did show up! It was enough to make it possible for them to finish the year. The look on their faces when we found out that they could continue piano was a study in joy and happiness.
I’m SO grateful that the unexpected happened!