Rule #3 in Life
Posted by Paul Allyn Thu, 16 Feb 2006 14:34:00 GMT
Fr. Paul’s Rule Number 3 in Life
No matter what you expect, it will be different, even when you take this rule into account.
Boy, wouldn’t life be simpler if this weren’t true!
What I am saying here is even when you expect things to be different, they will continue to be different from the ways you expected things to be different – sort of meta-different. Only when you buy into the concept that things will be meta-different, will you not be surprised. You will blissfully come to the point of saying, “Well, it’s no surprise that I am surprised by this surprising turn of events.
Children are always a good example of bringing events into your life that conform to this rule. For both good and ill. It’s probably one of the reasons Jesus loved children – so innocent and so rebellious all wrapped up in one cute little package. And I suppose being cute is one of the things that helps them survive!
Weather is another good example. Usually the weather guys get it pretty much right, at least in the short term. But there is always that surprising zinger when they call for 80 degrees, low humidity, clear skies for the 4th of July and it turns out 60 and overcast.
But never be surprised by what surprising things you’re fellow human beings do. In a former life I worked as a computer wacko professional. And I worked with a fellow who would say, “Never try to build a idiot proof system, because, as soon as you do, nature will evolve a more perfect idiot.” And we were always surprised by what our customers did to break our system. We had one user who, while the system was automatically collecting data, would press random combinations of keys – I guess she needed something to do with her hands, we would have preferred smoking. We eventually had to add into the system a method of recording ALL her keystrokes so we could discover – and disable – all the weird ones. Once she figured out we were onto her random key strokes, she figured out another method of harassing programmers she never met. She was a good example of how surprises can turn ugly.
Don’t be surprised by the surprises.
God give you joy,
Fr. Paul
