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Simple Smiling Surprises

Rodafina

Hopefully Human
Staff member
V.I.P Member
No, the surprise is not actually smiling, but it induces a smile! I know many of us don’t love surprises, and I am one. But they can’t ALL be bad. Hopefully, every once in a while there is a simple surprise in your day that just makes you happy. Here’s a spot to share those.
 
Yesterday I picked up some tofu prepared just the way I like it. It comes in two flavors and I usually get teriyaki, but by mistake I picked up a sweet chili one. Well, lo and behold, the sweet chili one was delicious and far superior to the teriyaki . I enjoyed it and I will be getting that one from now on.
 
Someone sent me a letter, old fashion letter in an envelope that I found in that ancient thing called a mailbox that no one uses anymore. I was so surprised and after reading it I almost had one tear in one eye for a moment. A happy tear.
 
Great idea for a thread. Not to go on a tangent, but I've always felt we don't hate surprises or change so much as being overwhelmed and fatigued. At least for me, routines are there so I can function and have the ability to daydream/explore/be spontaneous. I may eat a lot of the same foods at the same times, but it's so I can keep reading new things, listening to new music, or exploring new topics. I think this is rarely recognized in Autistic people, but maybe others have a different experience.

Some of my favorite surprises:

- Seeing animals on a walk or hike, such as deer in the early morning fog. Or a fox, pausing then running away.

- Picking new towns to stay at for a few days and discovering a new favorite place. Almost everywhere is magical the first time.

- Random book finds. When I have the energy, I tend to browse shelf by shelf, looking for certain publishers and authors, to see what I find. I love finding something I want but never see, or new things that look fascinating. Some of these finds were The Duke Ellington Reader; The Book of Disquietude by Fernando Pesoa; Old Filth by Jane Gardam (not rare, but an instant favorite and one I never heard of); Naguib Mahfouz; David Malouf; Healing Fiction by James Hillman; and Fools of Fortune by William Trevor. Sometimes a random book opens up a whole new world.
 
Great idea for a thread. Not to go on a tangent, but I've always felt we don't hate surprises or change so much as being overwhelmed and fatigued. At least for me, routines are there so I can function and have the ability to daydream/explore/be spontaneous. I may eat a lot of the same foods at the same times, but it's so I can keep reading new things, listening to new music, or exploring new topics. I think this is rarely recognized in Autistic people, but maybe others have a different experience.
Well said. Good point, I hadn’t thought of it like that before.
 
Someone sent me a letter, old fashion letter in an envelope that I found in that ancient thing called a mailbox that no one uses anymore. I was so surprised and after reading it I almost had one tear in one eye for a moment. A happy tear.
You’ve inspired me to send a few letters today. I love making and sending them, I forgot about the added benefit that they bring joy to others, too.
 
The happiest surprise in me has evolved slowly over a month or so, a shift in my thoughts and feelings that tells me I'm definitely coming back out of the doldrums. I'm looking forward to being me again.
 
The happiest surprise in me has evolved slowly over a month or so, a shift in my thoughts and feelings that tells me I'm definitely coming back out of the doldrums. I'm looking forward to being me again.
Some surprises are slow; important not to miss them.
 
Today: A new species of orchid has been found in Japan. It is another of the ladies’ tresses group, in pink and white.
 
Nice topic for a thread @Rodafina!

I'll break down some examples of simple surprises according to environment, situation or manner of communication.

Online or through forums:

---When I see a true survival or traumatic story with happy ending
---When I see a nice email I was not expecting
--When I see a positive reaction, comment or reply I may have rarely received before

At home:

---When family seems happy, laughs or does something interesting or funny
---When family shows appreciation for things I do or for who I am
---When I do something for family that I know they may like, need or will make them appreciate if not now, but later.

In public:

---When I see any kindness one gives towards another
---When someone says something nice and sincere about me or shows such through some unexpected action
---When I am out in nature fully relaxed and appreciating that.

In my visualizations:

---When I either think of positive things that happened before or that I visualize will come true one day
 
Having enough awareness to appreciate the little things, knowing they mean so much more than any sort of overt gesture, even if you cannot communicate that effectively.
 

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