I am not a spontaneous person. This I know to be true about myself. I don’t know if I’ve ever said “let’s drop everything and go do something random.” I would never just decide one day that I wanted to skydive, or randomly make big decisions. I’ve even recently said that “I’m not a cross-the-street-without-a-light type of gal.” To put it in the simplest way possible, I am a planner.
Although I would consider being a planner a defining characteristic of who I am, there are some things I can’t plan for … and I’m realizing that is such a blessing sometimes.
Last Wednesday night, I got a text from one of my friends asking if I wanted to see a Ben Rector concert in Chattanooga the next night. Without hesitating, I replied “YES, I WOULD CRY.”
This honestly might have been the most spontaneous thing I’ve ever done. Less than 24 hours later, I was in a Jeep riding to Chattanooga on a Thursday night to see one of my favorite artists. Receiving that text, my mind didn’t hesitate for a second; my response was a visceral reaction. I needed to go, and I trusted myself – something I don’t think I do enough of sometimes.
Last week I wrote about life happening while you’re busy making other plans … well, Thursday was a perfect example of that. I dropped everything I had going on that night because I knew my heart needed a break. I knew I could benefit from a quick escape more than I could benefit from a few extra hours of sleep.
The concert was probably one of the best nights of my life, and I think that was, in part, because it was a detour from my normal self. Not just a detour from my typical Thursday night routine, but from my need for a plan.
Standing in the middle of the crowd last Thursday, I didn’t care who was watching me, or what I had to do when I got back to campus. My mind was clear and my heart was happy. I knew I was exactly where I needed to be. (Ben Rector showing up right behind me in the audience was just an added reassurance of that …)
I will almost definitely return to my typical procedural nature, but I now recognize the good that a little dose of spontaneity can do every once in a while.
So, take a detour sometimes … to Chattanooga, maybe … but take a detour from the characteristics of yourself that sometimes overwhelm you. It’s worth it.
Anchor down,
Brooke