Review of Being Surprised

In 2009, my theme was "be surprised". As usual, my learnings about this were unexpected. I recently stumbled across a written journal entry about surprises. I wrote this down on paper a couple of months ago but thought I would share it as my surprising year wraps up.


Surprise vs. Disappointment AKA blutterbunged

For the last few days, the similarities and differences between being surprised and being disappointed have been aligining in my mind. With the "prepare to be surprised" theme for 2009, I didn't think that might also mean "prepare to be disappointed."

Here's what I've been contemplating - both surprise & disappointment are usually related to events/external; are both emotional reactions to unexpected outcomes. But surprise, I think, comes from not even thinking about the result or having expectations. Whereas a disappointment is when a different and unpleasant situation came about - not what was hoped or wished or expected. Surprises can be good, bad or neutral while disappointments are mostly bad...although I think we can learn more from them

I find I am often disappointed in people...in their character and actions. I find I am surprised more by events and coincidences but rarely people.

I never thought that disappointment was even remotely connected to surprise but as with everything in life, we do not know the future and the only guarantee is that we will be surprised over and over again - both for the good and the bad.

My research on the synonyms of surprise/disappointment lead to the most interesting word - blutterbunged which means flummoxed and discombobulated. There is an unpleaseant slant to feeling it. It is an archaic word that is rarely used today but it seemed to fit in the space between surprise and disappointment.

Perhaps my theme should have been "prepare to be blutterbunged"

Maybe it is that space where joy and sorrow mingle that surprise and disappointment meet. Although disappointment is unpleasant, it is rarely fatal and usually makes us stronger and more able to handle the next thing life sends our way.

Bring it on - I am prepared to be flummoxed, disappointed, surprised and yes, even blutterbunged.

Onto 2010 where my theme is "discipline." This word has many negative connotations but I hope to redeem it to be single-minded about achieving my goals - health, financial and spiritual...similiar to athletes who make every decision based on their goal of winning gold or achieving personal bests. One thing I know for sure is that no matter what I think about discipline right now, in a year's time, my understanding of the concept will be altered.