With the end of grad school classes looming right around the corner, 10 weeks left of teaching, and beautiful weather right down the road, I have realized the impact of the unexpected.
I am starting to realize that life is all about the unexpected, all the things that have unexpectedly happened to me over the past three years have been some of the greatest learning experiences of my life. Slowly, I am learning to live outside the box, to realize that life is filled with awkward and uncomfortable moments, and you often have to have the courage to follow your own path. It may be the long way around, but the power you gain from accepting what comes your way with a positive attitude makes a world of difference.
The unexpected behaviors that popped up again when I least expected, and the unexpected complete acceptance and support from friends.
The unexpected students that continue to come back to tell me how much of an impact that I made last year.
The unexpected links, connections, relationships that I have influenced me in deeper ways than I originally thought, and realizing that my need to protect worked against me.
The unexpected insight that I get daily by resisting going inward.
The unexpected ways in which I find myself pushing myself, because if you don't push yourself, you are stuck, and when you are stuck, you cannot grow, without growth you cannot change, and without change you cannot reach your true potential.
The unexpected lives lost, that put life into perspective.
The unexpected ways that my friends have shown me how to have a little fun;)
The unexpected ways I make people laugh.
The unexpected ways in which I realize that everything happens for a reason.
The unexpected ways I was treated in the past, only to make way for much healthier ways to be treated in the future. The beauty of learning what I truly deserve.
It's the unexpected that I am finding is slowly making me smile. The unexpected ways in which I find myself being more honest that I have ever been, and allowing people in more than ever before. Setting unexpected boundaries, and opening others. Accepting that this is a hard age...no quite young enough, no quite old enough. But, yet again, unexpectedly, I have stopped setting time limits, because it just leads you to disappointment.
Unexpectedly, I am learning to accept the process, the setbacks, and steps forward, the questioning, and self-exploration, the passion and drive, the comfort and discomfort, the regret and the past, the progress and the future....and in that process, I let new people in, open to the unknown , out of my control future, I have a smile on my face.
After all, what is life without smiling??? At least a little smile...;)
