15 Days

"A Little Bird Told Me"  mixed media on canvas paper, 9" x 12".  Available on Artfinder.

Fifteen days until Christmas.  This year, that also means 15 days until Hanukkah.  For the first time in a decade, I am not finished with gifts and wrapping.  Normally this would send me into a frenzy of fretting, but right now it feels more like a zany adventure!

The universe continues to play games with me, however the 2 x 4 against the head game has turned into a gentle game of tag, with surprises around every corner.  Including stumbling upon the perfect gifts.  (No, I am not telling you what they are, no matter how many times you ask.  Shhhhh!  Secret!)

Sometimes these moments just make me stop and smile.  Like yesterday, when I needed a FedX drop off place and Siri told me there was only one nearby, about 5 miles in the wrong direction.  So I went on to do other things and made a wrong turn.  Just as I was about to say bad words to myself, I noticed a FedX store directly in front of me.  I had to laugh.  Thanks, universe!
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It seems that when I let go of outcomes and truly just go with the flow, life is a lot less stressful.

Now this seems counterintuitive, right?  Planning ahead, scheduling and organizing are there to make things go smoothly.  And mostly, this is true and quite reliable.  However things inevitably don't go according to plan now and then (or every day for a week) and that is exactly when letting go is the right strategy.  Things just fall into place, exactly how they are supposed to be, which isn't always the way we planned them.

It used to be I got great satisfaction from things going according to plan.  But anymore, I am delighted by things going their own way, often against my plans, because it is much more fun and sometimes magical!  So it seems you can teach an old gal new tricks after all.  :)