Surprises

When I was a kid, I loved surprises. Of course, I tried to find out what I was getting for my birthday and Christmas. But something out of the blue, a new toy or Vernors Ginger Ale, whatever, made my day. I was pleased and grateful. None of this 'world owes me a living' crappola.

There are bad surprises that could range from anywhere to somewhere. Am I grateful for those? In a way. I believe we can learn from everything that happens to us.

Just the other day, I learned Aaron Zelman died. That was a very bad surprise. Of course, it led me to remember my talks with him and advice etc. It also reenforces my commitment to Freedom and speaking out. That's the gist of surprises that rock your world. You get past it and go on, no matter the adversity.

And the surprise attack at Pearl Harbor stunned us, but that day many fought back and the resolve that galvanized us saw us through to victory.

There is a real school of hard knocks that many of us are taking post graduate courses in, that people always have endured.

I remember another trinket of a surprise from what were dime stores when I was a kid. They were the 'dollar' stores of their day, with greater and better variety, including some with lunch counters which, at least where I grew up, were pretty good.

There were 'surprise balls' for sale near the door. These were simple balls of paper and sometimes a little cardboard wrapped in twists. Every so often, there was a trinket, cheap toy etc that would be uncovered. For the preschooler, it was a cute little treat. Now I guess, the jaded gimme attitude would laugh and scoff at such simplicity.

And maybe it wasn't the cheap toys as much as it was the thought that counted. Also, appreciation for what you had counted a great deal then.

I can also tell you that though we lived well and I received good toys including a bunch of toy guns etc, I knew my Dad worked hard for the money that paid for them. Another thing that seems to be lacking from the gimme bunch. There was no playing with a toy then tossing it aside. Nope. Each was well used and some were given to kids who didn't have as much.

Giving then was in the spirit of helping hand. There was no false sense of entitlement, nor at least with us and many others we knew, there was no superior pat on the head to the poor.

A lot of people had pulled through the Depression and appreciated work and its benefits. Then a surprise might have been an extra apple or orange now and then or at Christmas.

I've spoken of 'sticktoitiveness'. Seeing things through to the possibly bitter end can be like those surprise balls. It might not seem like much, but you know what you get and can go from there.

You might take the plunge and think it will not go well, then be surprised how well it actually went. Same for writing this blog lol!

Don't settle for what some would call 'their lot'. America is all about getting better.

Then you might just make your own surprise ball and supply it with something better than you started.

Each person might actually have the chance again to make it better.

What a surprise awaits the enemies of that idea.