This is going to date me, really date me…do you remember the kind of goofy man, Gomer Pyle (Jim Nabors), from the Andy Griffith Show. He had a favourite saying…surprise, surprise, surprise. And also golly… Don’t you just love how you jog your memory which jogs another memory? Well, anyway, what are some surprises in your lives these days. Unusually mild weather for one. December is here!! Advent and Christmas drawing near. Last month of year that ends 2020, thankfully, hopefully, with a promise of good things to come?!? Reds and greens become Christmas adornments, not pandemic stages. Maybe a slim slight small tiny bit of hankering for days of old, like turn back clock to fall 2019 for example. Just a daydream…aahh. And the forecast for today, snowfall or rain or green grass…eeny meenie miney mo. You just never know where the wind takes you.
Honest to goodness on-line dating is crazy, big surprise…not as I am realizing. Little update. You know I guess I expect people (men) to be honest and well….not so much. No wonder I have read quite a few of the profiles from different men and they talk about wanting certain things…no drama, no baggage, no lying, no cheating, no photo no go, no whatever. They must have been doing it for awhile. They reveal very little of themselves. I get it. So far I have learned to (and not too well mind you)….Say little. Reveal little. Go slow. Need to see and talk to them either, by phone, and then eventually video chat in some way. Are they real? When someone does not want to talk on phone because they do not want you to hear their voice…what do they mean? Are you kidding me!!! Or not able to video chat because where they are working it has poor reception or not allowed? Really? Or better yet, meet them after video chat. “Can’t yet” is the going rate (oops phrase). I have not got to the stage of seeing or meeting someone. Pandemic is excuse. Good. Now I am thinking, if I video, then decide to meet, I will take someone with me so that I can make a quick exit. (Just kidding). NOT. And for heaven’s sake, talk with a friend or family member once you begin just to get another take on the person. For I have learned that I just cannot be fully open but open. Not fully sharing but sharing. Not fully saying too much but say a little much. Get the idea. Not be myself. Gotcha.
So today I had to block. It is not a respectful way to end things. But it seems to be a way to do scams. Thankfully I shared a ‘red flag’ story with my daughter who kindly said, “MOM”. Oops I am in trouble. Of course, she is gentle with me but gives a slight shake of her head and lets me know that I need to talk with my daughters or sister. She called her sister and well, that’s the name of that tune. So block. A fine how do you do. So now what? Do I chalk it up to whatever. No. But how to approach without getting roped in to being made to feel wonderful and then wham….thank you mame!! LOL. It is kind of funny because wanting to get to know someone should be joyous and fun and feel good inside. Like Christmas. Anyone who knows me, knows that I love love love Christmas time. A season of joy and love and faith and hope, wrapped up in a present to be unwrapped slowly over December (or for me it begins in November).
Oh well, c’est la vie!! I am grateful for my girls and their support for they just know what to say. Everyone needs a cheerleader. So off I go to put things on pause. What is that phrase…if you fall off the horse, you have to get back on again. Are the bumps and bruises part of the deal of love? Yep. I guess. I watched this light romance movie on Netflix the other day, Love Guaranteed. This man went on real dates, face to face, with a 1000 women, and did not find his love match even though the on-line site said he would be guaranteed love. At least he got to meet them face to face. That is like a lot of breakfast, lunch and dinners. Oh my. So I guess I should not feel so badly really. I certainly have a ways to go. As my girls keep reminding me, it will come when you least expect it.
I also think my daughter said it well as she reminded me that it is not a checklist. Life is to be lived and things come to us in own time. I may be ready which is so new to me to begin with but just because I made up my mind, it is not a job. LOL. Check check check. It is not my daily list or honey do list (don’t have a honey but lots to dos’, check check check. It is not a ‘gotta git er done’. Check check check. Yep. So make it fun. Enjoy the process. I believe I said that initially. Oh love, love come softly. LOL. It’s all good.
Enough of the up date. So back to surprises. I am really hoping that Christmas will be joyously surprising for people regardless of how they celebrate it…remotely or together if they are blessed. Just love going around the neighbourhood and be pleasantly delighted to see Christmas lights aglow. Woohoo. It is really interesting how creative families and friends can be when they have to be. If nothing else the pandemic has forced us, I mean it in the kindest way, to take stock of what and who we are all about. As for Christmas dinner or parties, I know that there will be those who will not listen, do the big gatherings, and others will not, but regardless let it be an astonishing time. I am recalling my brother-in-law sharing own family traditions and his mom being adamant to have the family gather including Christmas this year. But circumstances led to her realization that maybe not…it is hard to break old and make new traditions. I mean my most treasured moments and sense of completeness comes when my family are all at my dining table.
I did have a wonderful surprise recently which has been delightful to me. I had an unexpected message from a person who I had not heard from, felt I lost touch with forever actually, since just after university. We were the best of friends which was an unbelievable joy to be a part of. But for many reasons, we lost touch. Then a few weeks ago, out of the blue I might add, her name came up across my Facebook page to friend me. It was the most loveliest of aha surprises for sure. And so wow….lost now found.
I think that is a true gift and surprising blessing when you have a friend or friends in your life. Whether the person (s) is in your family or outside your family, you develop a wonderful relationship that gives you joy and warm feeling inside. In this case, getting to know her all over again but with so much more to share. But it also a wondrous reminder to me of the beauty and awe of friends; in that with some you can take up where you left off, even if you had not seen or heard from them for years. It is like you just picked up and have not missed a beat. Beautiful to experience but more importantly counting my blessings.
Funnily, I am humbled because other people I have not heard from have come in as well…former colleagues turned friends over the years. Lost touch or life happens. Now all of a sudden…just lovely lovely lovely. Grateful. It goes back to the wonderful feeling in a surprising way that people want to stay in touch. I smile from ear to ear when I think of the different friends that I have had and still have and know them to be a privilege to have them in my life and still want to. I must be doing something right. LOL. Bless their hearts.
For me, I think it is me asking if I am open to surprises. Amazing things can happen as I have found out. So surprise, surprise, surprise, however they come. Blessings.
Let us pray for those in need today.
PS. One surprise which made my eyes pop….my dad said do you know there are white squirrels. Well let me tell you I took a picture as you can see. Now that is a surprise.
Karenpondering 