Letting Go of Expectations

I learned a lot about the fun of letting go of expectations with my children. When they were young, I might say, "On Saturday we're going to go to the amusement park." It's human nature for them now to conjure up what the day will be like, the rides they'll go on, the cotton candy they'll eat, on and on. Well, as life would happen, something serious came up that made me have to cancel going. Well their depth of disappointment was emotionally draining for all of us. I made it a practice to "surprise" them with trips. The magic was back. The thrill of not knowing, or having certain expectations, gave them the opportunity to fully enjoy the time, place and space we found ourselves in.

Tomorrow I leave for my first trip to the island of Maui at the invitation of a childhood friend. It's exciting to go without any expectations.