LIFE CAN BE UNPREDICTABLE

It all started when I was in Missouri for Christmas in 2011. Now, if you had asked me even weeks before if I would be spending Christmas of 2011 in Missouri, I would have laughed out loud. Missouri? In December? Seriously? No, I don’t think so.

But then my Arkansas parents decided to up and move to Missouri. And their daughter and her husband decided to leave Middleton, Wisconsin, and move to Missouri. Jack and Marjorie Postman, and Jacklynn and Dave Krokson decided to buy a big house and move in together at the Lake of the Ozarks. The next generation had all been living there for a few years already, so what a fabulous idea that the whole family could be together within a few miles of each other.

Still … Missouri in December?

Nope. This heat-seeking, thin-blooded lady was heading to Brazil. Santos, to be exact, for two weeks of HOT sunny weather, cold Caprainhas, the welcoming home of her BFF, Myrian. That was the plan. Yes, indeed.

Bad Things Happen

But bad things happen in threes and Myrian’s three bad things happened in the Fall of 2011. First, a fire in her kitchen in the middle of the night. Second, her beloved housekeeper, Katia, had a stroke. And, to top it off, Myr broke her ankle stepping off a ladder while watering her plants.

And So Do Good Things

The trip south got postponed. Christmas plans changed to a quiet weekend in Hot Springs … until a few days before Christmas when I got a call from Missouri. So, after having my car serviced and its tank filled, I packed up my Susie-dog and my warmest clothes, and hit the road on Friday, the 23^rd.

Christmas in Missouri 2011 might have been my best Christmas ever. Lots of creative energy under one roof with that bunch! And even though it’s taken years to materialize, the idea of sharing some of the craziness of my life emerged during that trip.

Share your voice with me. Is there an experience where something that initially seemed disappointing or frustrating worked out for the better in the long run?