Misplaced Expectations

 

"I have the annual holiday wreath making event tomorrow," Barb The Art Teacher said. "You should come. It starts at 10, but you should get there around 9:30."

 

And so I went. 

 

I thought I was supposed to go to the art studio. I was actually supposed to go to Barb's house. 

 

I thought I needed to be there at 9:30 to get a seat. I was actually supposed to get there early so I could ride with Barb to a farm.

 

I thought the event started at 10. It actually was a floating event that was scheduled from 10 until 2. We got there around 11:30. 

 

I thought that there would be a teacher guiding me through the wreath-making process. It was actually a come and make-as-you-can process. 

 

I thought that there would be a small selection of greenery to choose from. There were actually 10-15 different types of greenery and countless embellishments. 

 

I thought that I would be placing individual pieces of greenery into a Styrofoam mold. I actually placed seven bundles of pre-arranged greenery into a wire form. 

 

I thought that there would be a small group of people indoors, wearing masks. There was actually a rather large group of people outdoors, not wearing masks (except for me).

 

I thought that there would be plenty of space to work. I actually had a very small table.  

 

I thought that I would be finished and on my way home by noon. I actually left to go home around 3. 

 

I thought that I would enjoy a low-key wreath-making experience on a Saturday morning. I actually spent the majority of my day completely overwhelmed. 

 

The whole day was a day of misplaced expectations. But it was the perfect day to practice mindfulness. 

 

I wish that I could tell you that I adjusted nicely to all of my misplaced expectations. I did not. I really was overwhelmed by the enormity of it all and I couldn't get past the large number of people not wearing masks. But I tried. 

 

I tried to focus on how happy Barb was. I tried to enjoy the lovely weather and the beautiful scenery of the farm. I tried to smile at the glee in children's voices as they yelled, "Hay ride!" I tried to be content as I watched Barb make a wreath for her mom after she had just made one for mine. I tried to acknowledge how uncomfortable I felt and let those feelings pass through me when they came. "I will do better next year," I kept telling myself. "I will know what to expect. And I will plan accordingly. And I will not be overwhelmed."

 

Even though the day was nothing like I expected, I'm glad that I went to the holiday wreath making event with Barb. It was an experience that I won't soon forget, and it yielded a wonky, yet sort of pretty, wreath for my mom. 

 

What about you? What is something you've experienced that has completely gone against your expectations? Were you able to make the most of it or were you completely overwhelmed? 

 

Every moment of every day is a moment to practice mindfulness. Good, bad. Happy, sad. We can be present wherever we are for such a time as this...even when the time is floating but you expected it to be fixed.