With Love, Ciara ♥: let life surprise you

When I was at Osheaga I was given another taste of the positive effect spontaneity holds over life. Among the hundreds of thousands of people at Jean-Drapeau Parc in Montreal, I ran into friends from high school (I went to school in BC!), friends who I knew would be there but didn't think I'd be able to meet up with, and even people who I had previously met at a bar in Toronto a few weeks before. Running into these different groups of people was so exciting and unexpected and ultimately added to my unforgettable weekend. Had I planned to actually meet up with any of these people then my days at the festival would have been spent texting on my phone, struggling to find reception and stressing over whether I would find them or not. Sure the vivacious musical atmosphere helped amp up the excitement of these run-ins, but I'd like to believe that the spontaneity also played a large part in making them special.

My random encounters at Osheaga got me thinking about other times in my life when I've had pleasant (and not so pleasant) run-ins when I've least expected it. A story I've told quite a few friends recently is something that happened to me about a month or two ago. I had been out with a friend at a bar downtown and we were close to calling it a night, however she ended up meeting a guy who I could tell she clearly wasn't ready to say goodbye to yet. Since I was getting a bit stuffy in the bar and didn't want to interrupt her conversation I told her I was going to go roam for a bit outside. Having barely been waiting a minute on the curb, I heard a distinct voice talking on a phone in front of me attempting to get ahold of a friend to come down and help her out. When she turned around it was no other than one of my good friends from second year. Throughout the past year we had both been so busy doing our own things, so any time I had previously run into her was always pleasant. This encounter, however, was about to top them all. She explained to me that all her friends had to go back home and that she was left at the bar by herself. When I told her what I was doing outside we both immediately suggested we go for drinks around the corner while I waited for my girlfriend to leave the bar. I've had similar situations occur while being on holiday, but it really is equally as exciting when an encounter like this occurs in your own town. Being able to catch up with old friends for even just an hour is sometimes all you need. Looking back on times in my life when I've spent time with friends I remember some of the nights when we've planned to go for dinner or to a bar, but when an occurrence is spontaneous it becomes an event that will always stay with me.

There are days when I'll go wandering down the street praying to run into someone--a friend, a guy, a stranger, anyone who might make my day memorable and exciting, but those are typically the days when those things never happen. Being open to the idea that anything could happen is a recipe for an amazing journey through life. The more open you are, the less you need to stress about the possibility of plans going wrong or ending up disappointed. Let life's tides to take you to the places they'd like you to go and you will end up in places you never thought possible.

Anything Could Happen by Ellie Gouding