A couple of weeks ago, I had a treatment appointment that was scheduled a little later in the morning than usual and I was resigned to driving the lanes of the parking area to find a spot. When I pulled into the lot, my space was waiting for me... the first one... right in front near the entrance! The only way I could have been closer to my doctor was to have parked inside in the hallway outside the office door.
Last Sunday, It started with the phone ringing at 2:56am. Calls in the night instantly awaken me, all cells in my body on the alert... what's wrong?... who's in trouble? Heart thumping in my chest, gasping for breath, I leaped from the bed, turned on the light, and hurried to answer. The caller ID said the call was from the Lobby. Just someone pushing buttons on the keypad, trying to get into the building! I don't let strangers in during the daytime... I certainly wasn't going to do it at this time of night. Fully awake now and, knowing I'd never be able to go back to sleep, I booted my computer and turned on the TV to PBS hoping to find something worth having running in the background while I surfed the Web. Lo and behold, a wonderful program, an Independent Lens offering titled Young@Heart, (which I have already watched at least four times) was on. I got to see the finale and the short animated film which follows. THEN... I saw that a program I had given up hope of ever catching again was about to to be shown and I had time to set my DVR to Record! I couldn't have been more delighted. The program, Between the Folds, is about folding paper... origami, if you will, taken to the nth degree. I had caught a portion of it weeks ago, searched for more show-times, but had given up hope. The reason I wanted to record it is that one of my grandsons has always been interested in folding paper, especially paper airplanes. All sizes. He made one of the smallest I had ever seen (just barely missed classification as a spitball). I had to have this to show him. Success! Can hardly wait for him to visit so I can let him watch it.
For the last couple of years, I've been training myself not to sweat the small stuff... to choose my battles. It takes so much of the stress out of life. Last Spring, I was driving and came to an intersection where I had no stop sign but the cross street did. The school bus on the cross street ran the stop sign. If I had been less alert and going a half-mile faster, I'd have been in the middle of the intersection and broadsided by the bus. My guardian angel was directing serendipity for me again.
When driving, I try not to get upset about traffic delays. I've had so many experiences where being a few feet further up the road would have put me in harm's way or I would have missed delightful chance encounters. Now days, I start anticipating the surprise that may be waiting for me... the one I would have missed if not for the delay. I used to get irritated at myself when, after finally getting out the door, I'd discover I had forgotten something again and had to go back... just at the moment the phone started ringing, heralding a call I needed not to have missed.
Life is grand. There can be delight even in the bad spots, if I slow down, take a deep breath, and await the grace that's coming my way. It's the small gifts that are usually the best, even if only because they are more frequently received than big ones.
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