I read a book recently that suggested that the answer to interruptions in our tightly scheduled days might be a godsend. A godsend is defined as a very helpful or useful person or event. And I am here to agree that interruptions can be divinely inspired.
It’s all a matter of perspective. When facing a tight deadline, frustration mounts as the minutes tick by. Each moment is precious when you are hard pressed for time, and those ill timed phone calls, emails, and even visitors into your life can be time consuming and task-disorienting.
It doesn’t take much to get me off task: a talky news story about a celebrity pregnancy; an email from a good friend; Facebook. The list of distractions is lengthy and it takes a great deal of will power to get work done. Even as I write, my mind is dancing back and forth between writing, reading news stories, and hearing about the next Sunday Night Football opening number. And what has Tiger been up to these days?
The book I mentioned, before getting myself distracted, suggests that every interruption in your day be treated as a special message for you, directly from the Universe. When a friend called about having coffee this morning, my first thought was, “I don’t have time today. I have so much work to do.”
But I agreed to meet, thinking back to my book and divine appointments. Perhaps there was a reason to meet with this friend, other than coffee.
We shared coffee and conversation. And as we were leaving, he suggested taking our dogs for a walk. And I mentioned that one of our dogs had jumped out of the back of our truck nearly two weeks ago. Walking out of the coffee shop, he asked what kind of dog it was.
“English Springer Spaniel.”
“I saw your dog! Sunday!”
I was shocked. “Two days ago Sunday, or ten days ago Sunday?”
He said just two days ago he had seen the dog, near where we lost him. Charlie and I drove to the area, where we have searched in vain for hours, on foot and by car. We called and whistled. After a couple of hours, we decided to head back into town.
And there, exhausted and disheartened stood Copper, by the side of the road. He was covered in mud and dust with little bits of blood mixed in, where he had gotten banged up. His snout was sore looking and raw, as if he had a run-in with an angry cactus. He just looked tired. Almost too tired to wag his stubby tail. He jumped into the car and howled his pleasure all the way home.
And I realized that meeting my friend was a divine appointment. God brings people into your life everyday. Sometimes they are strangers, with whom you exchange only a fleeting smile. Sometimes, the meeting involves the exchange of energy in some way.
You have a choice with divine appointments. You can bury your head and refuse to learn the lessons people bring you. Or you can open your eyes, look around you, and embrace the divine appointments God has arranged for you today.
Nothing is a waste of time, if you seek purpose. Everyone person you meet today has a gift or a lesson. Now, it is up to you to make the most of those encounters.
Namaste my friends.