Predictable?

I have joined my wife at Silver Sneakers recently.  It's gotten me thinking about predictability.  See, the routines they use in Silver Sneakers have predictable components such as:

• left foot out, right hand back
• right foot out, left hand back
• pulse a movement 8 times fast at the end of a routine
• and so forth

This predictable quality permits us to learn a bit more rapidly what we should be doing together.  The movements don't just stretch our muscles and help us pump air into our lungs.  The movements stretch our brains as we learn various combinations that are somewhat difficult.  

But if we did only the same old, same old every day we would soon be bored -- "bored our of our gourd" as the old saying goes.  The leader introduces different routines.  Maybe it is as simple as left foot out, right hand to the side.  

We need stuff that is predictable.  We also need the unusual, the unexpected, or the surprising as well.  Let me use one more example.

We were recently in Bermuda, a part of the British commonwealth.  For me, an American, one of the big surprises was the way they drove on the left side of the road.  Steering wheels were on the right side of the vehicle.  The first day I was sure I  could never get used to that.  The second day was almost as bad.  But by the third day I was anticipating their "left turn" which was a "right turn" and beginning to get the feel for this unpredictable predictability.  I didn't drive there, but by the end of the week I believed I could.  It was exhilarating.

How do you respond to predictable things in your life?  How do you respond to the unexpected?  Leave a comment and let us know.