I was at a movie the other day, when I was reminded of a quote I heard somewhere once: "Life is what happens when we are busy making plans." Strange, isn't it, where and when these insights show up? There I was, engrossed in the latest "Sherlock Holmes" movie, when it hit me. I was told by some who had seen the movie that it wasn't worth seeing, but I went anyway, and I still liked it. I was drawn in by the fast-paced adventures, a bit of the comedic entertainments, but mostly by the incredible special effects. At first I had trouble following the effects, as they were fast, and choppy, and there was an incredible amount of movement, the kind that those with a tendency toward motion sickness (like me) usually try to avoid. But I steeled myself, stuck with it and was fascinated and mesmerized by what I saw and heard. Often they reminded me of the cogs in a machine, going through their patterns to effect some action.
The most fascinating special effects were those where Holmes was thinking about what he should do in this scenario to extricate himself from the imminent danger. It was meant to be a split-second of pre-planning racing through his mind, thus the speed and motion of the scene.
What I found most intriguing, though, was the fact that nine times out of ten his "pre-plans" did not work out as he planned, thus leading to surprise, chaos, and of course, near-deadly consequences. Yet Holmes still managed, somehow, to get out of his mess.
So I found myself pondering this idea... sometimes I think I know what I should do in a given circumstance, but something gets in the way, making me think things are thoroughly messed up - "That wasn't what I meant to happen." But when I step back a bit, and take in the whole picture, and let go of how I thought things should have gone, I am able to recognize something wonderful, perhaps even better in what actually happens. Amazing, isn't it? How has that happened in your life?
Funny, when I passed my refrigerator this morning, a magnet my daughter had given me happened to catch my eye, and it said essentially the same thing: "Sometimes, on the way to a dream, you get lost and find a better one." Maybe you have experienced a bit of this?
When has "Life happened" while you were busy making plans, and surprised you with something wonderful or fascinating? Where have you discovered a better dream while you were on your way toward what you thought your dream was? How open are you to recognizing and just embracing whatever shows up for you in any given moment?
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