things happen for a reason

Should today's class theme be "No Coincidences" or "There's a Reason for Everything" or something else?  They both really mean the same thing. And I've done so many variations on this theme, it feels like, because I don't believe in coincidences and I keep getting so many signs to prove it. So, that is why I hope whoever attends my yoga class tonight isn't bored by what seems to be a repetitive topic but is, instead, enlightened, by my new story.

It was about two weeks ago that I sat down at my computer to do some writing.  I am not great at typing so when I am really serious about getting thoughts down, I use a software program called Dragon.  I speak into a microphone, and Dragon does all the typing- Yay!  Sometimes, Dragon misunderstands me- kind of like auto-spell when texting- and I have to go back and make changes. When I am silent, Dragon rests until I speak once again. So, I had begun writing when the doorbell rang.  I got up and went downstairs.

I had already been spotted when I realized there were strangers at the door so I had to politely open the door.  I guess I could have non-politely not opened the door but where is the humanity in that?  There was a man and a woman standing there each holding a bible.  The old me would have thought with exasperation in my head, "Seriously? You opened the door?!"  The present-day me thought, "There was to be a reason I opened the door."  The man was very eloquent with his speech and so nice.  I ended up talking to them for about an hour about their views of the Bible and their religion.  I shared with them my views on spirituality and the best depiction of religions that I have ever found:  Imagine a stained glass candle holder with a white candle inside.  The white candle represents God or Higher Power or who or whatever you pray to.  Each religion is looking at that candle through a different color of stained glass. They all think they are separate and right in who they are praying to, not realizing they all are praying to the same Higher Power. 

We had a fabulous conversation. I realized we didn't have to hold the same beliefs to engage in an intriguing discussion; in fact, we mostly agreed, just in different ways.  He quoted the Bible on suffering; I quoted Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.  Eventually, they left and I went back upstairs to write.  I turned on Dragon's microphone and before I started speaking, Dragon typed the word "Him". I am not making this up. It had a capital H, too.  I stared at the word and then laughed.  I hit backspace three times and started talking. Every time I paused to think, Dragon would type "Him."  After the tenth or so time, no one could have called that coincidence (not that I would have, anyway!)  I tried touching the mic and breathing into it to see if that would trigger the word "Him" and, therefore, explain away the phenomena.  Nothing I did caused Dragon to type at all unless I spoke.  I said aloud that were there any other messages I needed to see to feel free to use Dragon in my silence to communicate. The next word that appeared, not immediately, was "thanks"- and it was underlined.

I sat back to consider what the message was I was supposed to dwell on from the conversation. Was there a yoga theme there? A learning lesson? (And, yes, I get the word Him with a capital H refers to God!)  It wasn't until I was sharing this story with two women I had really just met when the meaning became clear. They looked at each other and then me and said, the learning lesson wasn't for you.  It was something you said that the man needed to hear and that is why you were being thanked.  Wow. I had totally missed that. But, here's the point I want you to take away from this...and, no, you don't need to run out and purchase Dragon!

Open the door when someone is there. Answer the phone. Talk to the grocery bagger.  Things happen for a reason. Start to question what the reason is and you will soon become the detective in your own life story! I'm not sure exactly what I said that gave the man at my door pause to think,  but I do know he left me with things to think about, too.

"Learn  to get in touch with the silence within yourself, and  know that everything in  life has purpose. There are no mistakes, no coincidences, all events are  blessings given to us to learn  from." Elisabeth  Kubler-Ross

Lastly...my last class theme and blog was about taking my daughter to Riotfest and how I felt guilty we left early when I knew she wanted to stay.  After class, a student came up to me and asked me if I had seen the news. I said no. Apparently, one of the mosh pits had gotten out of control and 6 people were taken to the hospital.  I found out later that day that one of the girls caught in this mess, having an asthma attack (no doubt due to all the smoking), was one of my daughter's friends.  My daughter had been trying to locate her to join her up front for a mosh pit experience but both of their cell phones died.  And we left early. And I ask you is that all a coincidence?