Sometimes unplanned things are the most precious and maybe even more of what we need.  Lately we have had several unplanned surprises, which were all good.

In May we went on a Vacation to Banner Elk North Carolina which was supposed to continue to Asheville and end in the Harbor Town area of Memphis.  Between the pipeline issues, which made us think we might not be able to get gas to get us home, and the Memphis I-40 bridge being closed, we shortened our vacation and went to Laurel and Natchez (one of our favorite places), Mississippi instead.

Not the vacation we had planned, but more relaxing and fewer crowds.  We also got to find some new things to see and do and learn about a new city.  We will now get a future vacation to Asheville to stay on the Biltmore property and enjoy all that it has to offer.

Several weeks ago, a purple petunia started growing in the flower bed by the front door.  There have never been petunias planted at this house that I can recall.  I guess a bird brought a seed with it, and it grew. What a delightful treat!

The petunia is Hidden from anyone but those who are at our door, and that means those of us who come and go regularly have a nice hidden surprise each time we enter and leave.  How nice it is to have such a lovely gem hidden behind an evergreen.  It provides color, scent and beauty, all in an unexpected spot.  Even Archie is enchanted!

Hopefully I am not the only one who gets a plan or a mindset that something must be a certain way.  I am one of the Type A personalities who has a plan, a backup plan, and a to-do list at all times.  But sometimes just going with the flow or allowing nature to take its course provides pleasant surprises that are better than what we had in mind.  The thing about planning is that we can only plan for what we know.

Yes, the saying, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” is meant to remind us that we need a plan; we need a roadmap so that we don’t get off course.  But what is so bad about being off course?  It is someone’s course or else it wouldn’t exist.  We might find something more wonderful than we had imagined.

Or maybe “no plan” is the plan.  It can provide that often elusive “rest and relaxation” that most working Americans are so desperate for these days.  It seems we have scheduled every second of every day both at work and at home, weekdays and weekends.

My mom liked to say, “let’s follow our nose,” when she wanted to go on a driving vacation with no clear destination or visit a new town without scheduling the day.  I hope I remember to follow my nose more often and let an unexpected seed take root.  Who knows what surprise or new adventure could be waiting for me?

Thank you for reading!

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