The unexpected can be, and is, terrifying. I am scared of lots of things, but the unknown is one of the biggest. I want to be keyed in on everything because being able to plan, brings me comfort. Unfortunately, this summer will be anything but comfortable. It's my last free summer before moving out of my parent’s house and starting a real job.
The idea of starting over and finding a new job is, and has been, scary. The interview process has been a lot of work, the applications have taken away from Netflix time and the prospect of getting no summer job is daunting. I've been broke my entire time in college, and I'm kind of sick of it. Like all college students, I need the money, so I can survive my senior year of college.
This summer will be filled with adventure, though; landing a job, putting that into my schedule, figuring out how to still do the hobbies that I love. The next Netflix series I pick next to watch will be an adventure. This summer is unexpected, and I am learning to like that.
I never appreciated the phrase “expect the unexpected” because it does not fit me. I will not “expect the unexpected” because I want the expected to happen, and I can accept that; the unexpected is what I can't expect. I will be OK and stand firm when the unexpected happens in life, but I will not sit around expecting it; an OCD planner like myself can't let that happen.
I like the idea of the unexpected right now because I view it as climbing a mountain, road tripping with friends or spending time in a cool, new place. I do not expect the unexpected to be cleaning floors, scooping ice cream or changing diapers all summer. Those things would be fine, but they are not the adventure I yearn for.
I know God has a plan, though, and I may not see it, but this plan is better than I could have ever imagined. It might not lead to adventures of climbing mountains, and it could be an adventure of changing dirty diapers, but it's the one I may need to be on; I can trust that. God promises plans for us.
I hope this summer is everything you have wished for or not. Whether the outcome is the expected or the unexpected, enjoy it. Enjoy the journey of predictability or fresh newness because that journey will form you into who you are. This summer will be a great one, so sit back and let it be.
