We have a plan for life, and Life has a Plan for us
Somewhere early along my journey on what we call the adventure of life, I had a moment of irony and thought, oh goodness, I made all these plans for my life and it seems life has a totally different plan for me.
The other day I heard that phrase in a podcast and smirked. For those of us who are type A, control freaks, organized and feel like we can regulate everything, this lesson is one that needs constant whacking over the head to remind us of its existence. Or gentle nudges if you are less stubborn and thick headed. Similar to the Five-year exercise, we think or plan for life to take certain milestones, achievements and accomplishments. To our surprise, and often, if you wait long enough—to our delight, we find that the plan has taken a very different path. The steps along the way may be a bit rough, or not quite what imagined, and the destination seems to have meandered far from what we thought we would take. But as Fate is something that will happen and Destiny is one of the five options we choose from, on how to get there. We plan for certain routes and find that the ones we took are not quite what we had intended, no matter how strong the resolution or will. The most frustrations we experience are when we are using all of our Will to try and make something happen; something we Want, rather than allowing whatever it is to take place that we Need. It may not be pleasant, it may be incredibly challenging and stretch every fiber of our human existence: physical, spiritual and mental. And in that moment, it may feel incredibly unbearable. But know that when you come out of it the other side, you will be stronger, more empathetic, compassionate and wiser. To yourself and to others.
The next time you find yourself making some very resolute life plans, remember, you can plan as much as you want and attempt to execute with all the might you have. And it may come out exactly as you had envisioned. But keep an open heart and mind that it may go in a very different direction as Life may have a different vision for you.