Always Expect the Unexpected

Today, many are wondering what is going on in times like these.

Between Gun violence, Domestic Violence, Government Shutdown, and Furloughed employees being out of work you must always expect the unexpected.

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What was unexpected for me was hearing tragic news of person’s family members that was not in the news dying unexpectedly.

Each time someone close to me that I know who experiences a loss of life hits home, because we all know you can’t prepare how people will react in each situation.

We also don’t know how we will die when it is our turn.

It’s in times like these that I have learned to always expect the unexpected and live every day to the fullest with no regrets.

As a big proponent of Emotional Intelligence, this week has been about self-awareness.

For two days I was reflecting on this tragic incident.

If you have ever read the book “Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman” then you will understand that his book is a comprehensive look at what emotions are and why we have them, how we can get better at managing them, and why the well-being of humanity might depend on us doing so.

On occasions, I also reach back into things I’ve learned through my studies in Clinical Mental Health Counseling on how we must apply empathy to those we meet.

If we have not walked in their shoes, our words may not match their thoughts and are perceived as hallow words to them.

When someone tell me “They are doing the best they can” it has a different connotation for me.  Mainly it’s because I need to understand what does “The best they can” really mean to me?

My faith is important to me, and I’m not trying to proselytize or read you a specific scripture, however faith in knowing that everything will be alright is where I draw my strength from when bad things happen to me or around me.

I’m studying the book of Galatians, written by the Apostle Paul and I have found that Abraham didn’t have scripture to look at just his faith in believing.

Abraham, originally named Abram, is often referred to as the “father of faith or the father of many nations.”

When I think about Abraham’s faith journey and his unwavering trust in God’s promises despite numerous challenges and uncertainties; It’s in times like these; I too must believe everything will happen at just the right time and for a reason.

I’ve learned from Rick Piña through listening to Today’s Word that “No religious system can add performance requirements to what God freely gave by grace! The covenant was sealed before the Law was given. The Law came 430 years AFTER God’s promise to Abraham. Religious people may try to make you jump through hoops, but God’s covenant doesn’t require their approval or their additions!”

I’ve also learned that our “Humanity can get in the way of our divinity.”

Which has allowed me to be more laser-focused on having spiritual focus and spiritual discipline in my life.

Finally, what many are also aware of is that on October 20, 2025, last Monday the Amazon Web Service (AWS) that many depend on went down for a day.  It’s a day that “quickly devolved into chaos, disrupting the lives of millions around the world. Banking customers were locked out of their accounts, travelers couldn’t check into their flights and smart home devices like Alexa suddenly went haywire.”

What Caused the Massive AWS Outage in 2025? | Built In

These are things we don’t expect to happen, but they do.

Today I challenge myself and you to think about all the unexpected things that have happened in your life and how you have overcome them by being a better version of yourself.

As Neil Armstrong says “You’ve got to expect things are going to go wrong.  And we always need to prepare ourselves for handling the unexpected.”

Blog source: https://mckinleysthoughts.com/always-expect-the-unexpected/