Day 2: Surprises

Today's NaBloPoMo blog prompt is "talk about a surprise that made you happy."  I've had quite a few happy surprises in my life...

...the dress that I dearly wanted (but couldn't afford) that all of my coworkers got together and bought for me on my birthday in 1992.

...the day in early 1996 that I came home from work and found two little fuzzy kittens curled up asleep on my bed (those kittens were in my life for the next 18 years)

...there was my 40th birthday when I had no time to plan a party and a dear friend instead asked all of my other friends to take me out to dinner during the coming month.  I ate out nearly every night for over a month.

...the way so many people helped me out last year when I was struggling financially. 

...finding out only recently that one of my best friends is moving back to Maine. 

But one surprise that really meant a lot to me  happened several years ago, when I was really feeling down about life.  I don't even really remember what it was that was going wrong but I was really struggling and I felt very alone.  One day I logged on to my email and there was this message from someone I only knew peripherally.  It said:

"You don't really know me though we are connected on MySpace.  I saw that you were going through a hard time and I wanted to let you know that I think you are amazing.  I admire everything you do.   I think you have so much to offer the world.  I hope you are smiling again soon."

I no longer use the address that that email was sent to and I so admit that this is not a direct quote but more of a summation.  I don't even now recall who sent me that message but I do know that I will be forever grateful for it.