“Gorgeous, amazing things come into our lives when we are paying attention: mangoes, grandnieces, Bach, ponds. This happens more often when we have as little expectation as possible. If you say, “Well, that’s pretty much what I thought I’d see,” you are in trouble. At that point you have to ask yourself why you are even here. […] Astonishing material and revelation appear in our lives all the time. Let it be. Unto us, so much is given. We just have to be open for business.”
-Anne Lamott, Help Thanks Wow: Three Essential Prayers
There’s that word “open” again. My word of the year. I love that passage, and cannot wait to read the book. Thank you for sharing. Happy Weekend!
Oh, my favorite quote curator scores again! I love this. And now, I really must just buy this book. Thank you Lindsey!
I love it. I love this book so much!
One of my favourite quote about praying Help: “it may be one of those miracles where your heart sinks, because you think it means you have lost. But in surrender you have won.”
I’m reading this book right now, and loving it so much.
Oh, expectations are a tricky thing, indeed! I used to think that low expectations were the key to happiness–which these words seem to suggest. And yet, that was just my mechanism for trying to endure something that should not have been endured. It was only when someone who cared for me suggested that raising my expectations might be a way to a better place that I started to find my way to it.
Perhaps the crux of it doesn’t lie in expectations, but in how we think they will be met? I expect so much more than I used to, but it now takes so much less for them to be met.
So interesting to hear this view. I like your interpretation about how the expectations might be met. Also, I think I interpret Lamott’s comments to be about preconceived notions, and assumptions that we already know what is, what should be, etc.
Isn’t it wonderful? I loved it.
Oh, what a marvelous reminder. Thank you.
I think you would love it.
Isn’t it amazing how the words we choose keep finding us? xo
Love, love these thoughts by our dear Anne Lamott. Thank you so much for lifting these up for us all. What a reflection of your own spirit to lift these up. Thank you.
Thank you! And me too, I love, love, love Anne Lamott. Also, I’m happy to have found your work! xox
I have read “Help Thanks Wow” about five times through in the past three months. I just can’t seem to get enough of her generous heart and her courageous voice. It met me and keeps meeting me over and over. And almost everyday I find myself crying out “Help!”
It’s so simple. We aren’t alone, are we…? Even when we feel like we’re at the end of the world and might just fall off. There are healing hands to bring us off the ledge and hold us, that keep us from falling … leading us to knew places that grip us and give us a new outlook and in the end we say thank you … and then, when we can catch our breath and see that the ledge is farther away than we realized we say, “Wow, look how far we’ve come.”
Much love, Lindsey!
Tina
Oh yes, yes and yes. I agree entirely. I pray “help” every day. Also, I’m happy to say, “thanks” and “wow”! xoxo