Friday, January 4, 2008

Overheard

A few days ago I was in the gym locker room with two other women who were having a very heated discussion. Not argument, discussion. With very loud, emotional and dramatic voices. I was the sole audience member, and although I think even though I was in their way, they didn't notice me in the slightest. I think, though I'm not certain, that this was derrivative of a sermon they had heard. Suddenly, one pronounced with all the seriousness and gravity of a minister: "Expect nothing, and be pleasantly surprised when something happens." She paused, and then repeated it for emphasis:

Expect nothing, and be pleasantly surprised when something happens.

I smiled, nodded goodbye, and have been repeating it ever since.

7 comments:

Megan said...

I will be very pleasantly surprised is something (good) happens. I've been very, very focussed on something (bad) NOT happening.
I hope something good happens to you, Tash.

Beruriah said...

Sounds good to me. Actually, it's basically how I live.

meg said...

I like this. I could see it on a t-shirt, for sure.

Hoping for good things for you, Tash.

charmedgirl said...

the only problem with that is, something ALWAYS happens, it's just not always pleasant.

it reminds me of something...a dad said he promised his son that he'd never let anything happen to him; and the person he was talking to said, "well that's a strange thing to promise. if you never let anything happen to him, nothing will ever happen to him."

i will be ashamed if you know where i saw that...but it touched me nonetheless.

damned pixar.

all that said, i agree anyway; if it's possible to truly expect nothing.

Tash said...

See Charmed, I think this mantra actually frees me to do stuff and have stuff happen without the hope monkey on my back. Forget having a "normal" Saturday at the museum, or going back to trying to run again. I just do them, no end game, and f'k it: if I think about Maddy and ruin my day, then that was that. But if I end up having a nice weekend, then whee! Goody for me! Just won't go into it thinking it's going to be great or I'm going to run 10 miles and lose 20 lbs.

Waiting Amy said...

Yes, this is how I deal with most things.

Julia said...

Come to think of it, that's about how I get through my days now.
Hope you are pleasantly surprised more days than not.