Let your home surprise you

Have you ever bought yourself little surprise bags? Those bags that are sold in random places, colorfully packaged, inviting your curiosity for a few dollars. They are small, cheap and the gifts are little trinkets, but the experience is so special. 

When my husband and I were dating we would visit an accessory store that always had a big glass container by the cash register, and I used to love to give myself a surprise gift. I can still feel my excitement trying to figure out what I was going to get, sometimes I would get a nice surprise, other times not so much, but still the excitement of opening the surprise was worth buying. 

During this season of quarantine that we are living in Bogota, I have been thinking a lot about my house, what it has, what I think it’s lacking like furniture, decorations or small projects I want to do once we can. But in the middle of what is happening I’ve realized I want to fill my house with surprises, small hidden treasures. 

I have realized the great value of having some hidden treasures that could surprise and entertain you when you least expect it. How about different ingredients from what you cook daily? How about a surprise book that you buy without even opening up? It’s not about wasting, or buying just to buy, it’s about making our home a place that can surprise us. 

In light of the way the world is feeling right now, I am finding more gratitude in the space I have to sleep, eat, think, work, and play. I want to rediscover this space, cleanse the area, and add in the small surprises that will delight my family and I as we live through these strange times. I have an 8 year old daughter and thank God she still gets surprised with simple things. Last week I surprised her with a mixture to prepare brownies. She had no idea we had them so her joy was complete. She kept saying “Mami, I love you. You are the best!” It seemed that I would have given her the latest toy or the tablet she so badly wants.  

Right now we may not be able to go out to look for treasures to hide around our home, but maybe we already have those little surprises and they are waiting to be found. What a wonderful opportunity to do some organizing, some cleaning and find some small gifts to surprise our loved ones. 

Ana