Surprise! It’s not what you expected. How do you respond? Laughter. Disappointment. Curiosity. Do you set it ‘right’? How did you come to have an expectation about this, anyway? Expectations produce emotions. They set you up, mostly for suffering, if you become attached to those expectations. If the discovery that you have harbored some expectation takes you by surprise, but you’re not emotionally invested in it, it can be funny. “Oh, yeah, I guess I wasn’t expecting that. But there it is. How interesting!” Steve’s favorite story about this goes something like this:
A Zen master who had recently had a mini-stroke was invited to perform a traditional ceremony of calligraphy. He had practiced this art for years and participated in the ritual often. He calmly took his place and lifted the long, slender brush. Carefully, he dipped it into the ink and raised it above the thin rice paper. The assembly was silent. His hand was still. Moments passed. Gradually, a wondrous smile spread across the master’s face. He laid the brush aside and beamed. “I’ve forgotten how!” he laughed.Â
May you know delight in all that unfolds. Peace, my friends.
scillagrace 
Wonderful story, and a perfect photo! Thank you, Scilla. I know I can always depend upon you for the unexpected, but it is always a pleasant surprise.
I like that I’m a contradiction…the dependable unexpected! 🙂
🙂
A welcome surprise!
Delight IS a welcome surprise!
A lovely duet between image and text.
Thanks, Sally! Going over to check yours out now!
I agree…a beautiful post Scilla!
Thank you! I like your Paris windows, too!
Easy fix. Just need some paint. The big question maybe who pays for the paint?
I actually believe the bigger question is “why do you think it needs to be ‘fixed’?” Thanks for commenting!
Well that depends on the surface. I can’t make out if that is a public road or if we’re lookin at someones driveway depending on the circumstance I guess.
It’s actually the road up to a Catholic basilica. And it’s not the center white line but the line at the shoulder of the road. So, it’s a private road. If it were a public road, would you say it ‘needed’ to be fixed? Why?
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For the simple fact of uniformity in regards to publicly maintained facilities.
That ‘simple fact’ is actually a choice…and choices can be un-made as easily as they’re made. The money that would be spent re-painting small anomalies like this might well be better spent elsewhere. Those ‘simple facts’ often become dogma. “We’ve gotta do it”…and absurdity ensues.
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Well where then ought the money be spent then?
Perhaps in litigation over the position of the person who didn’t take the time and precaution to properly prep the surface before preforming the work so that it was done right, or maybe the funds would be better spent in seeking out an alternative contractor that would be competent of actually completing their task so that discrepancies like this wouldn’t even be an issue, or perhaps it would be better if instead of redoing the work and so that the mistake doesn’t go unaccounted for the money that would be spent on redoing the job would be better invested in sticks that could be used on some old horse that would be beaten for this vehement transgression of responsibility of doing a job the horse could simply be beaten like it was a piñata at a thirteen year olds birthday party. Frankly I’m a little partial to the piñata.
I’m partial to the oak…spend the money on planting. 🙂
Yeah the oak where else are you gonna hang the piñata from?
Why spend money planting? Besides it’s already been spent on sticks to beat
the horse. More trees will only create more leaves and this problem will only
get worse and more sticks will have to bought and more horses beaten…
So beautiful! I love this!
Thank you! Hope you enjoyed your trip to the US!
I do! I have a great time!
Yeah the oak where else are you gonna hang the piñata from?
Why spend money planting? Besides it’s already been spent on sticks to beat
the horse. More trees will only create more leaves and this problem will only
get worse and more sticks will have to bought and more horses beaten…
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I love it 🙂
I’m glad you do! Thanks!
I think we should repaint the leaf……
:) Now, there’s a new idea!
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🙂
How wonderful. One thought that really smacked me today was expectations produce emotions. That reminder can be a life changer.
It certainly can! Thanks for your comment, Victoria!
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Perfect post Scilla.. that photo is wonderful.. what a find! and I love the Zen story..
Looks like you’ve been visiting while I slept! Unexpected mail and delightful to know you’re out there!
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