Who doesn’t love surprises? Okay, so I know there are some stodgy, cranky-ass people out there, but how can you not love a surprise? As long as it’s not the bad kind of surprise like hey, guess who got preggo with the mailman’s baby? Or hey, guess what? You get to move to North Korea for the next 2 years! But when it’s the good kind, how can you not be happy about the unexpected?
Like for instance, who isn’t happy about a surprise snow day? Kids love to sleep in. Plowwers get some extra cash. Teachers get a break from reality. And the weathermen who screwed up get to be all geeky and nerdy on TV every hour updating us. Well, and of course, you get to spend some quality bonding with your family. (Yes, I know for some of you that begs a question of whether you can keep your sanity but some of you will be more than happy to sled, bake refrigerator cookies, and snuggle up in a blanket watching TV.)
The simple fact is that with all our Doppler radars, computer models, and weather gurus, the weather still happens just as it damn well pleases. And sometimes, I think it’s our little reminder to breathe in and breathe out. Personally, I love a day that the world shuts down and the only expectation is that I will curl up in my house and bury myself away for the day. That’s a surprise I’m always willing to take.
Then again, I’ll pretty much take any good surprise. You want to tell me I won the lottery, got a book deal, have a hot cinnamon roll delivery, earned a day off of work, or my husband did all the laundry? Okay, I’m down with that!! Sometimes, I think we forget to get excited. (And I didn’t mean that kind of “excited.” I’m sure you remember how to do that!) We forget to let those little things make the day fun and worthy of celebrating. Too often we’re thinking instead of scooping the driveway, who we are going to have to share our cinnamon roll with, which piece of our clothing is now pink, or how we are going to fit that test in with one less day. We have almost trained ourselves to find a reason to look the gift horse in the mouth. And I don’t know about you but some horses have some pretty bad breath so why get up in their grill???
My husband laughs at me when I get giddy about snow. Others laugh that I’m happy about a coupon for surf and turf at Outback or that I get to wear jeans to school for a week. It’s the little things, people. Maybe you aren’t supposed to sweat the small stuff but you shouldn’t just pine for the big stuff either. The little victories and moments count…especially when they come in the form of a surprise.
So here’s to a blizzard out our front doors. May it bring a well-deserved post-Daylight Savings Time nap and a batch of semi-homemade cookies!
harrybsanderford
March 10, 2013 at 8:15 pm
When I lived in Denver, I thought snow days were the best invention ever. Being from Florida, we never get a day off out of the blue for rain or excessive heat. Hurricanes, yeah ok. But snow days were great! I had an apartment right across from where I worked. I had to trudge through the snow PAST my work to get to the liquor store!
boltoncarley
March 11, 2013 at 12:15 am
i knew i adored you but a man that will trudge past work to get to the liquor store in a blizzard is a fun guy!
Mischa
March 11, 2013 at 1:41 pm
HILARIOUS 😀
boltoncarley
March 11, 2013 at 3:45 pm
🙂
Helen Hummel
March 11, 2013 at 7:54 pm
Liked this, Erca.. The clean beautiful scenery outside was food for the soul. But then I am the oddball who loves winter,cold and “surprises”. Writ
e on my dear, write on and on and on!!!!!!!!!!!