Stay Open

“Every day is a surprise. There are confirmations of an interconnectivity and synchronicity which inspire, titillate and confirm the inherent comedy of the universe.” – Billy Zane

Life can be tough. Life can be lonely. But life can also be amazing. My belief is that the people we encounter in life are what makes life the most glorious thing. Sometimes they come to us when we are not expecting it. It is for that reason that I always try to stay as open as I can be to meeting those special people that we encounter in life who add to its flavour.

As of late, I have found myself missing certain people in my life for whatever reason. We all go through times like this. Times where we wish that a certain person’s ear was closer to listen to something we are going through or to help us pick ourselves up or lend a different perspective. I also immensely believe in synchronicity. There have been a few people as of late that have provided that perfect sense of harmony. One such person I met during a yoga class I took as of recent. She is a teacher at the studio I go to. Her name is Lynn Gale. She teaches a restorative yoga practice as well as a yoga nidra class. I have never been to either before. Meeting Lynn seemed to be that perfect thing that I needed that came at the perfect time. For anyone who is not familiar with those two types of yoga, they are a very relaxing and meditative type of practice. The perfect words I can use to describe how I felt in the classes was cherished and cared for. If something felt uncomfortable, Lynn would come over and offer a support that might feel better. To be honest, although I love yoga, most of the time when I am dealing with some symptoms due to MS, it can be uncomfortable and difficult. These classes I took with Lynn felt so different. It was comfortable and peaceful. Part of this was due to the slower movements and added physical supports it provided, but also Lynn’s personality was so caring and gentle that it created the perfect space and environment for me to feel relaxed and at ease. The classes are in the evening and both of the nights that I went, I had an amazing sleep after class which is definitely something that has been lacking in my life. Thank you Lynn for providing that space.

Another person I encountered in a very different setting was Susan. I am making curtains for a lady my husband is doing a renovation job for. I had to go to buy fabric for the 8 panels I am making. I was having a hard time figuring the exact amount of fabric I had to buy. This was embarrassing to admit given that I was a math teacher before. However, lovely Susan came up to me when I got there and offered to help. We got to talking and I told her that I was wondering if she could go over my calculations for me as my brain was a bit mudded lately. She was absolutely lovely and went over it and helped me find everything I would need. I ended up finding out that she is also the Volunteer Coordinator for Dogs with Wings, an organization that trains service dogs. That is something that I have been looking into for quite some time. She gave me her email and number and said she would love it if I would give her a call and I could come in and do some volunteering with the organization. I am a massive dog lover. I volunteer for several groups that I facilitate groups for, but they are all based around illness. Although I love running the groups and the people I meet while doing that, I have felt a pull lately to do something else that is not centered around illness. This meeting with Susan could not have come at a more perfect time. Asking a question about fabric ended up leading to an opportunity that I didn’t even know I was looking for. Thank you Susan for being so helpful.

A third encounter I have had this month came from a painful event. I wrote in my last blog about a fall I had had that banged me up quite a bit. Not even 24 hours later, I had another fall. I was going to pick up a man for my support group. I went to walk up his walkway and wiped out in a face plant into the snow. I instantly heard “Are you OK?” I assumed it was the man that I was going to pick up. Nope, it was not him. It was a young man driving by. Embarrassing. He was so kind though. He was maybe in his early 20s and was driving a big jacked up truck. He was so worried and got out to help me. I told him I was fine. Face down in the snow, sure I was. He offered to help me up and I said I was ok to get up on my own. Due to how my legs work now, it is really easier for me to get up on my own than with assistance. He went back to his truck, although I could tell he felt bad about not helping me up. I got myself up and walked up the walkway and rang the bell. The young man waited on the road until I was up the walkway and in the house. Kindness is something I love more than anything. A lot of people, including me if I am being honest, would not have bet money on a 20 year old in a suped up truck to be the one that would instantly stop to offer me that kindness. Thank you kind stranger for proving me wrong.

There is so much good in the world. If we stay open, we will observe it. These lovely three individuals found their way in to my Gratitude journal this month. If we stay open, others have a way in to lend a helping hand. I take pride in being strong and resilient, but I am also getting better at allowing in help and loving kindness even from strangers. Keep looking and open. Those magical synchronicities are out there and will be delivered to you when you most need them.

With kindness,

Christine