Surprise, Surprise

I keep getting surprised by people. I think I have people figured out, and then they go and do something that I am totally not expecting. Which makes me even more confident in my suspicions that you shouldn't take people for granted, that you can't assume you completely understand what drives or motivates anyone, that you can never underestimate those around you. In the recent past, I have been surprised during two completely unrelated events. The first was someone who I thought of as rather cold and collected, not usually showing much emotion or sensitivity. A person ruled by logic, which I am becoming more and more opposed to by the day (but that's the topic for a completely different post). But I was surprised by the thoughtfulness, consideration and gentleness that was displayed towards me when the situation warranted it. I guess you never know who you can turn to when some support and care is needed - it can come from the most unlikely of people. The second occasion was one in which I was challenged - to think. Something that I am usually fairly good about on my own. And the challenge came from someone I wasn't expecting to receive it from. I didn't have incredible interaction with this individual beforehand, but from what I knew, I wasn't expecting such a challenge to my thinking. And I wasn't expecting anyone to ask such pointed questions of me that really drove to the heart of the matter without much time for the comfort of getting to know me first. I am always fascinated by surprising twists and turns, especially when they come from people. Because I argue many times that you can't wrap a person into a box and feel like you have them understood. People are complex, and they do unexpected things, a lot. And I love that about life.