I’m going to get a little ‘woo-woo’ on you for a bit.
There is a saying that I’ve often heard – I’m paraphrasing, but it’s something along the lines of ‘Miracles are everywhere, when you open your eyes and look for them.’
A few years ago, I was working to get ahead of the stress of a career change, becoming an empty nester and moving to a new state. I went and found one of those online therapists. I ended up connecting to someone who happened to live in Germany. Through the miracle of the internet, we were able to schedule and have some regular sessions. She was a great fit and was instrumental in helping me tune up some of my perspective as I was going through these life changes.
After several months, she ended up going on a long vacation around the same time I had some travels planned. When I returned, she had disappeared from the platform, nowhere to be found. We had talked about her finding a more stable job and that her practice might be in flux, but she had vanished. I was annoyed at the platform and the non-solicit agreement they made their therapists sign when joining. I tried a couple of other therapists, but it was tedious and they didn’t have the background or knowledge of my life that I needed to make it effective. And I happened to be going through some tough interpersonal stuff with an important relationship in my life at the time as well, adding to some of my anxiety.
After a few months, I was able to work out that conflict, and ended up canceling my subscription.
Fast forward to the next Summer, and we’re at a Mariner’s game in Seattle. We invited a couple of friends to join us and we all had tickets in different parts of the stadium (tough to sell out a Monday night in late Spring). So, the four of us grabbed seats together somewhere along the right field foul line.
Sitting right in front of me its my therapist with her family.
I stared for several minutes. I couldn’t believe it. Finally I worked up the courage to interfere with this woman’s vacation.
‘Excuse me…are you..’
‘Yep, it’s me’, she said before I could finish my question.
We exchanged a few words – she was in town visiting her family who happened to live in Seattle. It was a bit awkward to say the least, but I found out she was in private practice, yet unable to contact me because of her contract.
I immediately did an internet search and found her online and we reconnected, and she remains my therapist to this day. She’s helped me through a number of issues I have been working though with my business, my relationships, the move, and all of the stresses that come with the transitions I’ve experienced.
And this is the miracle… Of the 40,000 seats in the arena, of the 81 home games in a season, let alone the fact that she was visiting a city halfway across the world from her home, I happened to sit right behind her and was able to reconnect with someone who has been a big help in my own life.
I’ve shared this story with a few close friends, and they all agree that this is proof that the universe will step in and align itself to support you and your life when needed.
When I reflect on this, I go back and look at the number of times where things just ‘worked out.’ A lot of the worries I’ve had have never come true. I’ve had a number of strokes of luck, or mentors in my life that helped pave the way for my success.
And as much as I realize there is a mental health angle to this story, the bigger lesson comes from the idea of gratitude. Whenever things get tough for me, or I’m having a frustrating or difficult day, it’s a lot less mental anguish and stress to reflect on all of the good that has happened in your life. No matter how small, it’s never a bad time to reflect on the miracles you have experienced in your own life and be thankful for them. You don’t have to be religious or too spiritual to really step back and have appreciation for those events that have made a difference. The chance encounters, the random bits of advice you chose to take, the mentorship from someone you look up to, or the smallest of gifts from the universe are all things to be grateful for – every day.