The Element of Surprise!

The Element of Surprise!

©Allen Merritt (2015)

Picture this:

You have just completed a long work day. You are tired and ready to go home, grab a beer out of the fridge and prop your feet up on the coffee table after plopping down on the sofa.  Ah, peace and quiet is only moments away!

You pull into the driveway, get out of the car, open the front door and round the corner toward the kitchen when suddenly you are met with a lot of people screaming, "Surprise!”  You nearly jump out of your skin!

Oh, did I forget to tell you? It’s your birthday.

Some people like surprises, others do not. And, for good reason, because often times the true element of surprise is found within the initial surprise.

For example, Cameron Diaz’s character in the movie Married in Vegas throws a surprise birthday party for her fiancé. However, when he walks in, the surprise is on her. He dumps her and breaks off the engagement right then and there in front of everyone. Ruh-Roh!

Surprises generally are meant for fun and good times. At least that’s what I would like to think. But how many times do we face the unexpected which literally “takes us by surprise” and sends us down a path towards negativity and/or negative consequences?

Surprise! You’re laid off!

Surprise! We are pregnant.

Surprise! I just rear ended you at the stop light and then took off!

Surprise! We’re sleeping together. You weren’t supposed to be home until tomorrow.

The element of surprise is usually unexpected, but I prefer to imagine it solely in good terms like when you receive a compliment or someone says something nice to you about how much they appreciate you. Although these types of surprises seem few and far between, I am still reminded of the powerful impact a pleasant surprise can have in lighting up our day and turning our frowns into smiles.

When you’re having “one of those days,” try using the imagination to create scenarios that don’t ordinarily happen, yet you can picture them happening and stimulate some internal laughter or lift your spirit and break the tension associated with those negative encounters. Please keep in mind these examples are imagination games. I’m not suggesting you actually act out on some of these.

Picture it.

• Without warning and for no apparent reason you walk up to a stranger and slap them. I’ve actually     pictured myself running up behind someone and slapping them on the hind-end and then running away. Just thinking about it and the possible reaction causes me to laugh. I would never do this off the cuff, but the idea shakes away any tension.  (Now tell me you never thought of that one!)
• Placing the old “Kick Me” sign on someone’s back and watching what happens.
• Imagining people in their underwear or even naked.
• Winning an award and receiving it in front of a crowd.
• Receiving compliments.
• Finding $20 in your pants after you’ve removed them from the dryer.
• Awarded a promotion and a raise.
• Someone delivers you an unexpected invitation (dinner, party, etc).
• A singing telegram arrives and it’s for you AND it turns into a Strip tease. 

There is commercial where a woman walks through the front door of her home and finds another woman in high heels and black lingerie tickling her husband with a feather boa in the middle of their living room. Surprise!

Her response; She called her attorney using a specialized phone app. I have to admit it made me laugh, but more importantly, I find it speaks on how we choose to respond to a situation: good, bad or ugly.

My personal thought focuses on expecting the unexpected and finding the wonder in that. It never hurts to feel special and be acknowledged. Everyone could use a spark of excitement in our lives by walking in on a good surprise.  However, when the surprise makes us feel less than ourselves and about 2 inches tall, then picturing how to turn the negative into a positive can be quite the healing step to take. In some cases, the element of surprise can serve as a means of learning or even survival by keeping us on our toes. Interestingly, another word similar in meaning is the word ‘revelation’.

In closing, I hope most true surprises are good ones, but if not, find a way to make it good.

And, in case you were wondering, the element of surprise is not found on the Periodic Table!

Are you surprised?

Cheers!

LIKE and SHARE our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/#!/LifeOPN
Follow along on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@lifeopn