The more I write, the harder it is to come up with titles for these posts without repeating myself! Today at dance, we were working on our Encanto production number, and we have 4 songs meshed together in 2.5 minutes. During Isabella’s song she talks about learning how to make more than just roses. She is given the magical talent of making flowers appear wherever they are wanted, however it takes this musical number for her to realize that she can make any kind of flower. She spent her whole life up to that point only making roses. We all know that roses are beautiful, but there are some even more unique and colorful flowers that exist.
I have a note from my Great Grandma Doris that says, “I over looked an orchid while searching for a rose.” It was written on the back of one of her address cards from her address flip container thing that no one uses anymore since we can all keep track of addresses in our phones… Not something that she kept somewhere where she would always see it except on occasion. I however have kept it on my fridge as a reminder to always keep my eyes open for something beyond what is expected.
As far as expectations go, I have had changes in what I think about expectations. I feel like as a kid we always have the most wild and crazy expectations and learn that they either rarely come to be or they get way surpassed beyond what we thought possible. As a teenager and young adult I learned to keep my expectations low so that I can be surprised more often by surpassing them, and not be upset when they are simply met. Lately I have been thinking about how I needed to do that for some of the situations that I was put in, but now that I have actively changed my situation I do not need to think that way and can expect better.
You, too, have the power to change your situation so that you can live beyond the simple life. Ask yourself, “What will make my heart smile/ sing?” It may be a simple answer like going to get ice cream, buying dinner at a restaurant so that you do not have to cook, or going to see a movie or a show. It may be a more complex answer like planning a vacation, taking a day off to be at home, or going out with friends when you all have very busy schedules. My challenge to you is to sit with the question for however long you need to until you think of something that you can do today. — If you live near me and have been having one of the biggest snow falls this late in the month of March, it is a great day to ask yourself what you can do to have some fun! Don’t let the bad weather get you down!
If you have the opportunity to bring someone along with you to do something unexpected/ for fun, do it! Maybe someday in return they will surprise you, too! No matter how old you are or what stage of life you are in, it is important to remember to have fun! There are fun things to do that do not cost a lot of money. There are things you can do by yourself, in a crowd, or with people. Each day or week you may have different things that sound fun. Keeping it unexpected is what helps fun things be exciting! Bringing others along will only increase the fun that is had when it is shared.
One of my new year’s resolutions was to do one fun thing each week. I was trying to twist my previously successful resolution of doing one new thing each month. Life has been so busy with work, illness, and working on being well that I have not been verry successful on keeping track of this. I have started allowing myself to go out for coffee after my first job at least once a week so that I can enjoy a latte that is made by someone else. (I spent enough years making my own lattes.) When I get home with my latte I take the time to reset so that I can have the energy to teach dance classes and be refreshed to have fun with my dancers. Grabbing a coffee may be more planned than unexpected, but at the moment having this plan and knowing that I can look forward to it brings me joy. That is enough for me right now in this season of life.
I hope that you find something unexpected to do today that is fun for you. – Em
“We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.” – Carlos Castenada
“Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.” – unknown
“Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.” – Mother Teresa
A Time for... Everything 
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