I was asked to run a special errand for someone who is in a dire situation; a situation which was not by choice, and for which I was committed to help as best able.
My initial response was to delay a response. I was immersed in other tasks when, suddenly, I received a second request by phone. Right away, I became concerned about the traffic I would encounter in order to complete the errand. After all, it was late afternoon AND the Mariners baseball team were scheduled for a home game at 7:10. I saw myself sitting in a sea of metal, bumper-to-bumper, inwardly griping at my slow movement on the road.
The person who made the request was at her wit's end. Other resources were not available. I agreed to run the errand, with the stipulation that it would be later, after the traffic had subsided.
Here's the part where I love Divine intervention. After we hung up, I "felt" the voice. I didn't hear anything, but my body felt it. My body asked me, "How would you feel if you were in that situation and someone delayed your comfort because they didn't want to sit in traffic?"
Bam! My husband had no problem with a delay in dinner, and in no time I was in the car, heading out to do then what I had my convinced myself had to happen later. The concern about traffic dissipated. Taking care of someone's situation, one that I would not want to be in, took its place.
Long story short, and to my dismay, there was no traffic as I had anticipated. Smooth sailing all the way. I completed part one of the errand, and proceeded to part two. When I arrived to deliver what this person needed, her smile sank my heart. I drank in her gratitude, and silently thanked her for touching my heart.
It would have been easy for me to feel guilt, but I didn't. Given my schedule, I knew I had to determine my priorities. At the same time, I was shown an alternative path, and stayed open to the possibility. Plus, I was shown how the power of a story can alter the course of our lives, and hinder the opportunity for sacred connections. Traffic? What traffic? I hadn't even checked the live reports for the road conditions. I made it all up!
The blessing I received was far greater than whatever satisfaction I might have gained if I had let my story play out. My smugness at beating the traffic I wouldn't have sat in if I made the delivery later would not have known the delight my heart my enjoyed earlier.
Think about a story you concocted without knowing the truth, or for which you made assumptions that proved to be invalid. It's quite natural to do when you are faced with uncertainty in the midst of a decision. Yet, it is that very uncertainty that can complicate the decision, especially when exacerbated by a story. An impulsive jump to what appears to be a logical solution may in fact be one that leaves you feeling disconnected, perhaps even stressed, by your fictitious story.
I suspect I was asking for divine guidance, without even knowing it. Fortunately, it came to me. I considered the other option. I became more aware of the impact of my behavior on another human being. I accepted that, if my story were true, that it would be OK. The traffic wasn't going to be a big disruption in my life. Life would go on. In that moment, though, I was being blessed, and didn't know it, until later. Gratitude from one person to another has a way of finding a permanent home in the heart.
And for that, I feel honored.
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