Article August 19, 2013 ISSUE

Surprise me!

Steve Cole

One day I was visiting a local restaurant for lunch. From behind the counter, people are served hot dishes or sandwiches “made to order” and listed on a menu overhead. After getting the food I wanted, I went to the end of the line to pay the cashier. I don’t know why, but I asked her: “What was the best sandwich you ever had here?” She told me that the best sandwich was the one she got when she said to the cook, “Surprise me.”

Later, the thought occurred to me: I wonder if I could pray like that? How about just saying to God, “Surprise me,” and leaving it at that. What would happen? Since then I have tried this, and am happy to report that it works! By that I mean, when I leave all completely in God’s hands, a door will open in thought that I didn’t even know was there to knock on. After all, there must be endless thoughts and ideas that the infinite Mind has for us that are not on the limited menu of possibilities the human mind conceives for itself.