surprise!

From Cat's Garden: Rain Lilies

Summer-blooming Zephyranthes (rain lilies) are a fave in my Carolina garden.

I’m convinced they're shy. Their unremarkable green stems stay small and lanky most of the season, fading behind showy annuals strutting their colors.  Not much to look at.

But these tiny bulbs like to surprise me.  Buds peek out near sunrise, usually after a heavy rain, and nod as I walk by to fetch the morning paper. 

By day's end, their open-wide blooms are welcome invaders, weaving a pink-petaled flotilla through my garden.  They stop passers-by, who take a moment to enjoy these happy flowers before the blooms shrink back into the night, waiting for the next rain and sunrise.

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Photo: Blair Hall

An element of surprise adds the sparkle to life.  Not the kind of surprise like a dead car battery or in-laws popping by for a visit.  And I won’t even go near dreaded surprises associated with loss or illness. 

It’s taking delight in the every day and unexpected.  Like reading a great book with a plot twist you never saw coming.  Or finding the sweetest kitten to take home from animal rescue.

Kids are best at surprise and delight, don't you think?   If you ever watch as they explore their world, you know what little sponges they are. Soaking up every discovery.  Not afraid to climb high and tackle the unexpected.

This weekend, I'm following my own advice and tackling a new experience: guesting on Beantown Pals, a Saturday morning blogtalk radio program for kids and parents, to discuss children's books and writing.  It's my first time using this technology.  I'm a bit nervous about flinging my actual vocal-cord voice (not my writing voice) through cyberspace.  In those first 30-seconds of the program, I'll remember to suppress my jitters and dive in to the unknown with gusto.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Here’s to keeping that child-like delight and discovery in us all. And wishing you the loveliest of surprises in life.

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