There were several surprises Friday, May 9 as I engaged in #confidentcarry. And, there were some in the days leading up to it.

I was surprised by those who did participate and by some who did not.

I was surprised that more women didn’t respond.

It surprised me that the reporter who broke the concealed carry story had no apparent interest in  sharing #confidentcarry with the mom or 17 year old daughter.

My daughter’s reaction and comments surprised me. As did my husband’s.  And, my mother’s…oh, they were precious!

The cold sweat that I broke out on my brow just before I stepped out my front door caught me by surprise.

The difficulty I had in choosing which products to #confidentcarry surprised me.  I thought I would just grab some pads / tampons / cup and head out.  But, no…I found that I wanted to go colorful.

My excitement was a surprise.

The confidence I felt as I went through with #confidentcarry was a total surprise – a wonderful surprise.  It made me more confident…more self-assure…more settled…more centered.

I was surprised that most people didn’t notice – not the huge overnight pad stuck to my back, the tampons in my pocket, the clear bag full of brightly colored products….

The fact that I wanted to continue to #confidentcarry (long after the pad slipped from my back early evening and refused to stick anymore) was a surprise.

The freedom I felt…the liberation and the openness surprised me.

The reactions of 3 men came as a complete surprise.

While I’m always comfortable in the feminine hygiene aisle, I was surprised that I felt so at home there.

It surprised me when I forgot that I was engaged in #confidentcarry and that there was a pad on my back. It felt natural – normal.

I was surprised that most people had a ‘so what?’ attitude toward public display of menstrual products…about #confidentcarry.

It came as a surprise when I actually felt different when #ConfidentCarry Day ended. I was surprised #ConfidentCarry changed me.

#ConfidentCarry – the biggest surprise is that it gave me a taste of what can be…should be.  And, that taste was delicious and demands more.

What surprised you about #confidentcarry?