When Your Plans Go Awry, Eat Steak And Be Grateful

Take Pen to Paper: Edition 134

Spring Greetings, readers!

Everyone is familiar with Spring Break. Many families make special plans for how to spend their time; mine were simple.

I didn’t have any big plans. I wouldn’t need to be at my volunteer jobs or art classes, so that made time to do things I don’t normally do.

In this newsletter:

1. I had a plan.

2. My plan didn’t work.

3. Gratitude to the rescue.

Big Plans and Expectations

Last Tuesday, my husband walked through the kitchen and asked, “We’re having steak?” We rarely have steak, much less on a Tuesday.

The explanation requires me to go back to the week before Spring Break.

I was looking forward to Spring Break. Even though I’ve been retired for almost three years, I have retained my teacher mentality. Spring Break is a special time. It signals how close you are to the end of the school year.

I made very special plans that naturally came with great expectations.

1. The dog was going for a dental. (Yes, we are those kinds of dog owners.) So, I knew dog snuggling would ensue.

2. The vegetarian was out of the house, so I bought steak for a more decadent dinner than usual.

3. My granddaughter would spend a night so we could do grandmother/granddaughter activities.

4. I would clean off the dining room table (or part of it) in preparation for crafting while my granddaughter visited.

5. I would hang the two pictures I finished framing.

6. I would shop for frames in my favorite antique/collectibles stores and maybe visit a new one.

As you can see, it was going to be a big week. This was my attempt to make Spring Break special.

A Plan Foiled

The big week did not come to pass.

The Friday before Spring Break, I woke up sneezing. By Friday night, I had a fever. My fever lasted until the following Wednesday. I didn’t feel good until Saturday - yes, an entire week. Sleeping was my primary activity.

❌ I did not cook a decadent meal (or cook much at all).

❌ My granddaughter did not come spend the night and craft, which is good because ❌ the table did not get cleaned off to make room for crafting.

❌ I did not go out shopping for frames.

✔️I got to snuggle with the dog after his dental. Or maybe he snuggled with me.

✔️ I hung the two pictures I framed.

As an educator who has Spring Break carved into my very being, it was a week that did not live up to my expectations. I was disappointed.

So the Tuesday after Spring Break, we sat down to steak!

Gratitude Replaces Expectations

It’s hard not to have expectations when you’ve made plans. But even the best-laid plans can go awry.

Reflecting on the week, I see things could have been worse. I could have had big plans that were ruined by my illness, like a trip or showing visitors around the town.

As it was, I just missed some small things that, in truth, I can do anytime.

Since I had no big plans for Spring Break, maybe instead of expectations, I could have made my intention to have the best Spring Break possible.

When our plans don’t go as we think, isn’t that the perfect time to lean into gratitude? My illness didn’t interrupt anyone else’s plans, and I recovered from my illness. In fact, maybe this was the perfect time to be sick. My years in education taught me that breaks are sometimes the best time to be sick, because those who depend on you are away.

Gratitude put a positive spin on my week. And, think of all I have to look forward to. My list of special activities awaits me.

Photos by S.G.S.Abel

7 Days, 7 Thoughts on Gratitude and Good:

1. It’s a good thing to celebrate the small things we accomplish, even if it’s just hanging two small pictures you framed. These pictures make me smile whenever I see them hanging on my wall.

2. It’s not necessary to plan a major vacation during spring break. Check out these activities local to Chattanooga, Tennessee. If you don’t live in that area, check out your local listings.

3. It’s a good thing to involve the family in making plans for Spring Break. Why plan big if they want to plan small?

4. Did you know that pets need good dental hygiene just like humans? This article explains. 🐕🐈

5. I am grateful for my hobbies. They encourage me to improve my problem-solving, creativity, and crafting skills. 🖼️

6. It’s a good thing to listen to your body. I kept trying to do what I would usually until my body said “REST!” on Day 3.🛌

7. I am grateful for my gratitude habit. I would never have occurred to me to be grateful for my misfortune without it.

Thank you for reading. This week, if things don’t go as planned, lean into gratitude.

Until next time,

💚

Susan

What did you do during Spring Break? Leave a comment and let me know. I would love to hear about it.

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I have a 2nd newsletter about journaling. It’s a great way to learn about journaling, especially if you are new to the habit. If you are interested or know someone who would be, check it out at From The Pen’s Nib: A Commonplace Book About Journaling.