Yesterday I had an experience that many have had although it was a first for me. I had a two hour “window of opportunity” to get things done for an event I am planning. This window is an unusual luxury for me in the middle of my average day. Great, I’ll get gas, run to the bank and then to the store to pick up food and flowers, run over to the event drop them off, and get back to my office in time to see a patient. This will be a breeze. I sailed through the first three tasks and as I was leaving the store with a cart full of shopping bags and 6 beautiful flower bouquets I decided to put it all in the trunk. I got a great parking place right in front of the store so I popped open the trunk set my purse inside and started to arrange things (oh I’m feeling so organized). I hear a voice in my head saying “you’re going to lock your keys in the trunk” so I listened, grabbed my keys and hit the unlock door button. I heard it unlock, dropped the keys back in the purse and continued to move things around. I then thought I should put the shopping cart back, slammed the trunk and realized I DID IT, I locked my keys in the trunk. Oh no worries I had listened to my inner voice and unlocked the car, there’s a trunk release in my car, I smiled to myself and carried on. Never allow yourself to feel smug around the Universe. When I went to open the door it had quietly relocked because I had waited too long (or the greater forces decided to play a joke on me). Great! Schedule dashed.
As I waited for an hour for the tow truck driver to break into my car I had to laugh at myself and the situation. I leaned up against the trunk of my car as I waited. It was a cold but beautiful morning after the rains the night before. The air was crisp with a slight breeze which was enough to pull an occasional giant leaf from the trees in the parking lot and let them flutter suspended before falling to earth. Fluffy clouds danced in the brilliant blue sky. I had the opportunity to observe the comings and goings of shopper, joggers, walkers, and the lost or homeless meandering through the day. It was the elderly or homeless people that made the time to stop and say good morning or have a momentary chat with me, interesting don’t you think?
It was an hour I actually enjoyed, it was a new experience and I was present. It made me aware of the world around me, the world I power through unseeing most days. After the tow truck arrived setting my car alarm off to the delight of a child coming out of the store with her mother, I was back in my warm car and back to the rat race. I actually understand why they call it the rat race… run, run, run. I don’t know if it was the Universe and my higher self that conspired to create this little diversion, I just know I felt like giggling the rest of the day. I was with myself, clearly not by myself.
