Day 779

Expectations are very real for my Therapy Dogs! In other words, they know where the treats are stashed! Today, Lilly had her nose to the crack in the elevator door... anticipating the opening with bacon waiting! She was not disappointed! She loves the cooks at Walker!

We all have expectations in our lives. We expect certain things to happen on a regular basis, expect relationships to hold few surprises and expect our lives to move in a predictable manner. This is all fine until something unexpected happens on our journey.

Unexpected surprises can be lovely, but others can be rather challenging. A bouquet of flowers is wonderful, but a flat tire...not so much! From health issues to road closures, the negative, unexpected events can bring us up short with fear, frustration or a "Why me?" attitude.

When there is a bump in the road of life, I always ask myself, "Why not me?" Everyone takes their turn with discouraging events. Moving through the muck and mire seems to be the only way out. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I try to put one foot in front of the other and move forward...knowing there are happier times ahead. Although I am not ALWAYS successful, I strive to look at the light at the end of the tunnel (hoping it's not a train)!

Embrace the unexpected. Be grateful for positive surprises and rely on others when life throws its challenges. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Just ask Lilly...those hot slabs of bacon build muscle!!!