Surprises

Life is full of unexpected events. We usually plan on the good things, take them for granted, and when the bad things come as a surprise, we are blown away.

I was at a friend's house on a school day, expected to be home at 6:00 for dinner. It turns out my friend's mom couldn't give me a ride so I called home and waited for our white mini van to arrive on the curb. The doorbell rang and my friend and I stumbled over to the door to see my dad, helmet in hand. We were going on the motorcycle.

Dad had brought my sweatshirt, hairbands to put my hair back, and my helmet. He was compeltely prepared. I geared up, mounted the large bike, and rested my hands on Dad's shoulders. The air was refreshing on my face, the sun blazing with a cold continuous rush of wind pushing the heat aside and grazing my skin as we soared over the road.

Trees were budding, dandilions congregated in lawns, and the signs of spring were finally beginning to show. There were walkers, people checking the mail, and people in cars all around us. Pedestrians often stopped to wave as we whooshed by, bringing a smile to my face.

I almost didn't want to be home. My heart hoped Dad would take a detour where we'd admire more of the small city. Our city. A city full of people, churches, sports teams, homes, and the newly brightened gardens. It was a sweet moment when life seemed beautiful. I had no bad thing to think about for those minutes of driving home. I just sang my favorite song quietly to myself and brimmed with the glee of the moment.

After a few short minutes, we pulled into the garage. I guess not all life's surprises are bad. :)