Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

putting on the new

The element of surprise

I do not always like surprises.

Ben White via Unsplash

One time, many years ago, I had to work on my birthday, the same day a group of friends usually gathered at my house for an evening of laughter and Trivial Pursuit and who-knows-what-else. They decided to go bowling. I gave one of them the key to my house so they could gather there afterwards if I didn’t make it to the bowling alley. After a trying day of journalism, I pulled into my driveway. The house was dark, and I assumed my friends were still bowling. I dragged myself up my steps, opened the door and made a shocking discovery.

The lights turned on as if by magic and my living room was full of my friends yelling “Surprise!” I have a picture of the look on my face, which is somewhere between terrified and annoyed, not the sort of delightful expression one might expect. I remember exclaiming, “Oh my God!” which I later regretted because I thought maybe I had taken the Lord’s name in vain. (I think He has forgiven me on that by now.)

I was glad my friends had cared enough about me to throw me a party. I am seldom caught off guard. They executed the plan perfectly.

Read the complete post at Putting on the New, where I blog on the 12th of each month.

The one thing you already have to give

I’d been invited to a new friend’s house for coffee, and for days ahead of time, I agonized over whether I should bring something with me. Pastries? Flowers? I’m always appreciative of someone willingly opening their house to me, and she was providing coffee. I wanted to offer her a gift as well, some token of thanks, but when the day came, I had nothing in my hands.

I’d convinced myself that it was okay because I was bringing something else.

Me.

That doesn’t always feel like enough.

My new friend is a mom of a young baby and we had met doing volunteer work for a refugee organization and though my children are school-aged, I remembered how I felt as a working-professional-turned-stay-at-home-mom. All I wanted was company. It could have been anyone, and they didn’t even have to bring anything. I just needed a grown-up present so I didn’t go out of my mind. I have no idea if my new friend felt this way, but I brought with me what I had: grown-up conversation and presence.

Read the rest of this post at Putting on the New, where I blog on the 12th of each month.