Get What You Expect in 2014

Will we be happy in 2014?

Years ago, when I was in my early 20s I was hit by a car while jaywalking and in a rush to pick up my daughter from daycare. My boss at the time, a wise woman, suggested that perhaps I might have invited this to happen to me. I was completely offended.

 In looking back, though, I think she was right. My life was a mass of chaos, unhappiness, judgement of others and depression. No surprise that the events that happened to me simply looked like the rest of my life.

Fast forward to the present day. When George presented me with the possibility of moving to New York, I struggled deeply. It was a huge risk for me, involving much sacrifice. Ultimately, I simply could not close the door on this opportunity for George. Having made that decision, I had two choices: Accept it grudgingly and fearfully, or embrace it head-on with joy. I (mostly) chose the latter. Here's what happened:

• I was given an acting job before we even moved.
  
  
• In the first 12 months, I was in two plays, one musical, sang in a cabaret, sang 4 times in jazz clubs, sang with a choir, was in two crime reenactment shows on cable TV, joined a theater company, and was in a student film. Also received an award, released a CD, and got a bunch of good reviews.
  
• We found a spacious 3 bedroom apartment that we could afford, right next to the studio apartment we were in, in the building we loved. We had been told there was no chance of this.  In all seriousness I tell you I prayed *specifically* for this to happen and 2 weeks later it did.
  
• Sold our house in Columbus in eight days; drastically downsized and fit into our apartment everything we truly wanted to keep.
  
• Had a successful (though very difficult) knee replacement surgery, repairing the damage caused by that car accident so long ago. 

I am not sharing these things to brag, impress or make anyone jealous. I do not think I am responsible for them, except for the fact that both of us chose to say "God is good; life is good; we will trust that all will be well, living in faith rather than doubt".

Every time I auditioned, sang, met a new person or dealt with matters of where and how to live, and did so with joy, without being attached to the outcome and without fear, I was blessed beyond measure. Every time (and there were some) that I entered a situation feeling like a small fish in a big pond, consumed by fear and my own ego or by some external definition of success, I failed.

Obviously,  bad things do happen that are outside our control, and they happen to people who are expecting the best and people expecting the worst. But, as my friend Chris Sunami once said, "You can choose whether to live in hell or in heaven while you are in hell, and you can choose whether to live in heaven or in hell while you are in heaven".

So I would offer this thought for the coming year: What do you expect?

I say, expect joy, expect blessings and let go of your fears, your own ego and controlling the outcome. You might get more miracles than you ever thought possible.  I'll sure be wishing that for you, and for me as well!