Even though I wake up most mornings feeling like I got pooped over a cliff, I still expect good things from my days.
Not immediately.
First, there is the painful wake-up period where my body and brain debate whether we are really doing this again.
But once I get past that part, I usually expect the day to go well.
This causes me to question my own sanity because most days do not end up like I expected.
The Good Kind of Unexpected
Not all surprises are bad.
Some are lovely.
Some are funny.
Some arrive just when you need them.
On my list of good things, you might find:
A picture of one of our grandchildren.
A text or phone call from a beloved family member. My brother, the doctor, would probably amend this to “beloved family member without a medical question or problem.”
The Hubs bringing me McDonald’s breakfast as a surprise.
Or just bringing it to me.
I did mention I wake up slowly. Some days that 10:30 breakfast deadline is tough to make.
Finding out someone reviewed one of my books, and they liked it.
Tasks melting away from my to-do list so I can work on my books.
That last one is rare enough to qualify as a possible miracle.
The Less Welcome Kind of Unexpected
Of course, the unexpected does not always arrive with flowers and breakfast.
Sometimes it arrives with math.
On my less welcome list, you might find:
The to-do list multiplying out of control and taking my day with it.
Finding out I switched two bills last month, which means I must now do math to fix them.
Finding out I messed up something about a book upload and now must fix it.
Finding out I messed up something about a book upload across multiple platforms, which means the fix will eat most of the day while laughing.
Finding out someone did not like my book enough to write a review.
Or returned it.
Yes, that makes me sad, even though I understand it. I have never returned a book, but I have thought about it a few times.
Finding out something went wrong or broke and will require me to make phone calls and wait for a repair person.
This is a double hardship.
Phone calls.
Waiting.
And then there is the household emergency of realizing I am almost out of Dr. Pepper.
Or, worse, totally out of Dr. Pepper, which has actually happened and should not happen in a civilized society.
That requires grocery shopping.
I love to eat.
I love my soft drink.
I do not love shopping for either.
Why Life Still Surprises Me
Some of these surprises are not truly unexpected.
Bills exist.
Technology misbehaves.
Groceries run out.
To-do lists multiply if you feed them after midnight.
But when you have characters from two books jostling around inside your head, real life can feel surprisingly rude.
There you are, trying to figure out fictional danger, romance, clues, motives, emotional arcs, and whether a cyborg should say that thing now or later.
Then reality taps you on the shoulder and says, “Excuse me, but your account needs attention.”
Or, “Your upload failed.”
Or, “You are out of Dr. Pepper.”
Reality could use some manners.
Hope, Lists, and Detours
Still, I keep waking up expecting good things.
Maybe that is stubbornness.
Maybe it is hope.
Maybe it is the writer brain.
Writers spend a lot of time asking, “What if?”
What if this goes wrong?
What if this turns out better than expected?
What if the tree ends up in the river, but the river takes it somewhere interesting?
That is the thing about the unexpected.
It does not always mean disaster.
Sometimes it is a detour.
Sometimes it is an interruption.
Sometimes it is a gift.
Sometimes it is a reminder that our days are not as controllable as our planners would like us to believe.
Making Room for the Unexpected
I still like planners.
I still like lists.
I still like pretending tomorrow will unfold in neat blocks of time.
But I am trying to get better at leaving room for the unexpected.
Or at least not being shocked every time it flaps in through the window wearing a cape and demanding snacks.
Do your days, or nights, surprise you with the unexpected?
Have you ever found yourself in the stream and wondered how you got there?
Did you paddle?
Did you float?
Did you climb out and check your Dr. Pepper supply?