I’ve been holding on to this column by Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin. Having come across no obvious hooks on which to hang it for a post, perhaps a cold-winded Wednesday afternoon is as good as any time for his helpful reminder:

Any given day might bring you surprises that will change your life completely – the death of a loved one, a diagnosis of a serious illness, the discovery that a spouse has been unfaithful, a kid getting hurt in a sporting event, a fire that damages your home, an unexpected layoff notice, a call from the bishop’s office – the list goes on and on. The ultimate surprise that could change your life, of course, is its termination. You could die today, or tomorrow.
What are the lessons to be learned from the uncertainty of life? I can think of three. …
The first is to not get too attached to the things of earth, since everything is transient, everything is passing. …
The second lesson is to approach the world with humility, not to overestimate our personal importance in the grand scheme of things. …
The third and final lesson is that we always have to be prepared for the final drama of life – our death.

Elsewhere in the column, Bishop Tobin makes clear that our days’ surprises aren’t always necessarily negative. All three lessons apply as much (if with slight difference) to surprise victories and blessings.