Forrest Gump’s Mama only had it partially right, in her now-famous quote.  And that good old Forrest could recount it at any given moment. “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.”

And that is true.  You never, ever really know what will transpire, from day to day.  If we are lucky enough, most days glide from one to the next, without a major upset. Of course, it is a grand thing, if we find ourselves in good fortune on most occasions.

But that box of chocolates is just like life, in other ways too.  On the inside of each one of those pieces, is some great and wonderful surprise.  It could be peanut butter creme, or raspberry, or even a nutty almond.  But surely enough, there is a treasure inside.  All you have to do is take a little time to discover it.

And so it is with a lot of things in life.  Since we are talking about candy, the Tootsie Pop is a prime example.  Oh…. when you bite into one of those things to get to the delicious center!  But by looking from the outside, you would never know what lies within.

Oysters.  Yep.  Now that is one found in nature.  You crank one open and there inside is a beautiful milky pearl.  And to think it starts from one little grain of sand.  That is really something.  But you have to open that Oyster to check.

Another gift of nature….. the incredible, edible egg.  Who knew?  I mean really.  Seeing an egg from the outside gives no indication that something some amazing would be lurking inside.

This entire concept transcends our lives.  It weaves in and out.  What about the little dog or cat…. the one from the shelter or the rescue group?   On the outside, the dog may seem like a jumpy, barkey, bundle of nerves.  Which may be true.  Yet, inside that pup is one of the sweetest, sensitive, caring little dogs ever.  Or perhaps smart as a whip, or funny, or maybe ever all of the above.

Another example which becomes more and more apparent to me… is people.  There are certain individuals in our lives….. and we think they may be this way, or that.  And then suddenly, out of the clear blue sky, they do something great, or valiant, of spectacular.   It might take us by surprise, but I for one, am always delighted when it happens.

Surprises my be one of life’s greatest gifts, I think. But to get the gift, you have to unwrap.

And so it goes.  We just may need to take a little time, to find out what it inside.  What truly lies beneath.  And once we do, we find that  surprise is a most wonderful gift.

The greatest gift that you can give to others is the gift of unconditional love and acceptance.  —  Brian Tracy