THERE is something about the turns we take. Left, right, u, forward, backward, side, 3 point; you name it, we have taken it. Although distressing and at first blush very irritating, each turn holds a story, a lesson or an adventure for us. Stay with this thought for a moment. Isn’t it true, that when you think back, the turn that you mistakenly took on the way towards visiting a friend or an event led you to something special, such as a cosy cafe serving up amazing baked goodies, a conversation with a loved one reminiscing an earlier incident long faded from your active memory or a self reflection about how good you got turning the steering wheel with one hand and swiffing your hair around at the same time.
These spark of thoughts come about if you can keep an open mind and a grateful heart when events do not play up according to your plan. Take today for example. I was heading for my writers circle meet up and decided to leave home a little earlier to get my nails done. Yes, I should learn do them at home but this is a little treat for myself that I truly enjoy. The last time I got a manicure and pedicure was around Christmas. Whilst the artwork on my toes still sparkled, the glitter on my hands were looking a tad shoddy with chips and peels, thanks to daily chores and opening airtight containers.
As I got off the No. 58 bus, it started to drizzle. Well, with storm Dennis around, there was still a lot of spillover with the rain and within minutes, it got heavier. As much as I love the idea of dancing in the rain, it was not my scene. I picked up my pace and made a pit stop at Karak Chai for a small cup of strong, earthy, spiced tea to keep me company on my journey. With hands heating up against my cup, I raced ahead to my appointment, head downwards to avoid the water puddles and to take quick sips of my yummy tea.
I must have taken this race quite literally that I overshot my mark and missed the turn to the nail parlour. I could not recollect how far forward I had come and with this weather, it did not make sense to turn back. After calling the parlour to inform them, I explored the street that I was in and discovered a boutique selling beautiful hand embroidered ethnic wear. The lady attending to me recommended a tailor who could also stitch saree blouses. Having recently moved to Cardiff, this kind of information is helpful and gets me better acquainted with the city. I thanked the kind lady for this and proceeded forward.
With two hours to spare before my meet up, I got a seat at a cafe nearby, tucked into a skinny burger and caught up with some pending reading on this lovely app called the Happiness Planner. A delightful me time. Also, I booked an appointment for Wednesday at the Bouff salon on Whitchurch Road that I am fond of. I am acing productivity like a pro.
Practising gratitude has encouraged me to look at circumstances with a self reflecting and purposeful lense. This afternoon’s wrong turn did not seem so wrong after all and frankly, quite RIGHT.