Nothing that the Universe throws your way is insurmountable, no matter how disruptive it may feel at the time. So rather than take it as negative or bad, take the approach of you being blessed with an opportunity. Embrace the unexpected with a new perspective of a growth challenge. Stop, listen and find the message it is sending. The seeds from this perspective can be sown if you look for what opportunity is being sent your way. Stuck waiting somewhere? Other than traffic, look around for someone you’d like to get to know better, and sparked up a conversation. More than once, the course of a conversation with a stranger really gave me food for thought. Think about this as a blessing of the two of you being thrown together on your individual journeys. Who knows what synchronicity is involved.

I met a woman in the hotel laundry room in Hawaii, who along with her husband became dear friends with me and my husband at the time. They lived in Australia, while we were living in Japan, and our lives were quite literally changed as we visited them several times. She and I are both still friends, though her husband has died and I divorced mine. A stranger can also reveal to us things about ourselves that your friends would never say. If we are open and paying attention, they may help us in recognizing flaws in our thinking and perception. If you’re lucky, this may give you an opportunity to correct any decisions, or at least give them further attention. This is the Universe giving us the chance to review, reflect and try a different way. How often do you take stock, review, or correct mistakes you may have previously made in the rush of everyday life? So how open can you be of unexpected situations? Can you receive and use them as gifts?

While most things are determined by forces over which we have no control, it is still your life and you do have Freewill-sovereignty over yourself, but only ourselves. Yet, when you think a monkey-wrench has been thrown in your way, as Bette Davis said, “Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.” Take it On! Sometimes we need the unexpected to lift us out of the semi-conscious state in which we often pass our time. Problems and misunderstandings themselves are part of the truth of being human, and usually how we learn something new.

Never forget we’re here for the lessons to grow by. To ignore or put off these lessons is like sweeping them under the carpet. Unfortunately, they are usually ready to trip us up another day. Many of us may ask: “Why now?!?” Think about it and deep breathe, the answers may be very enlightening if we give it the time it seems to need. Some people whine and complain about things, others do something new and positive with the situation. You could say that the Universe is encouraging us to contemplate the truths of life in a reflective way. Many times this is the essence of contact, connection and communication that we can nurture at any time through experiencing ‘new’ others. (Thank You Barb!) Be empowered by using the Unexpected!