Sometimes I'm chugging along in life on a certain "plan" of mine, and then the Universe says, "Oh, just kidding!" Suddenly, a goal or a dream of mine that I was doggedly pursuing gets turned completely on its head. What does it all mean?! Does the Universe have a cruel sense of humor?? It certainly may seem that way sometimes.
If there is anything I've learned in my 44 years of life, though, it is how to bend but not break...how to laugh into the winds of a raging storm...how to cry but then pick myself up, dust myself off, and say "alrighty then, what's next?" Sometimes (okay, many times), life throws us curve balls. The path of life is not straight, but rather, it is full of crooked streets, turns, hairpin curves, steep drops, and equally steep hills. Some folks would call that a roller coaster, and who doesn't love roller coasters, right?! Um...ahem...that would be me. Can I not just enjoy myself on the freaking spinning teacups or the predictable swinging pendulum-motion of the pirate ship, for heaven's sake?? "Of course not!", says the Universe. "Where would the fun be in THAT?"
Sigh...
Okay. So, here we are. Life is no longer as it once was, the predictable is no longer predictable, and the path we were on has suddenly taken a hairpin turn. What now? Do we fumble? Or do we recover the ball and run for the touchdown? (Yes, that's my lame attempt at a sports reference--brave, considering my knowledge of sports comprises a space smaller than a snow pea.)
I'll tell you what we do. We pick up that ball. We do a little dance next (the dance is important--don't leave that part out). And then we run like hell for the goal. "But what's the goal?" you ask. LIFE. Life is the goal. Experience is the goal. Living, breathing, experiencing, feeling, loving, laughing, and learning is the goal. Forget your carefully-laid plans. Forget how you thought it was "supposed" to be. Instead, be open to possibilities. Throw your arms open wide, let the wind dry your tears, laugh into the clouds, and search eagerly for the rainbow at the end of the storm. Because what we think is a closed door is actually a detour to a better one that will open with ease. We may not see it at the time, and that's okay--we don't have to understand...we only have to trust and let go. We only have to keep putting one foot in front of the other, loving life and loving each other, and finding the joy that exists in each present moment and in every precious breath that we take.
Every time I think I have it all figured out, the Universe...God...that Power greater than myself...reminds me that we never "figure it all out"...because, well, where would the adventure be in that? I will keep going. I will sway my beautiful tree in the wind. I will bend, but I will not break.
Love you all. Now go do that dance. ;-)
