Precious little happens by chance.
As soon as we stop paying attention, we get whacked.
You've actually said, no doubt, "I should have seen that coming." That expression, common to us all, means that, in hind sight, all the signs were there. That we didn't catch on earlier is mostly about momentum. We get lulled into the momentum of a thing or relationship through complacency. We in the West try to make things predictable. When we reach a point of comfort, when we think we have a situation or a person all figured out, our attention wavers. Then, boom, the thing or person "changes. " We forget that change is constant; we were too busy settling for predictability.
At every stage, every moment, there are changes and choices, and us. We can never predict everything, but we certainly can train ourselves to "simply notice."
When we begin to pay attention we discover that just because something seems a certain way today, it won't necessarily be the same tomorrow. Which, as I said above, flies in the face of all of our safe little notions about the predictability of life.
This weeks' exercise: It is essential to get this. So, I recommend a course in silent observation. What's going on in your life, your relationship, your work, right now? What aspects are you taking for granted? What pieces are you missing? Who is hovering around you, watching, that you aren't noticing? Part 2 of today's idea centers around humor. Most people miss the comedy that's happening around them - the way people act, the things that pop out of their mouth, the spin they (and you) put on things. All these things have humor potential. If you'll lighten up, have fun and notice.
Now, I don't mean to imply that life is a joke. I am opting for balance. It is possible to observe life seriously, while at the same time appreciating its fundamental silliness. We, for example, spend our entire lives piling up degrees, titles and money, and then we get old, sick and die. Boom. Game, seemingly, over. And all of the things that we pretended were us, the titles, degrees, possessions, mean nothing. Until you get the joke. You are not what you possess. You are what possesses you. So, I suggest focusing in on finding your true self. In this process you uncover pain, illusion, distress and the ultimate absurdity of life. As you continue this walk, you learn to sit quietly and simply be who you are. You begin to see that all of the "coincidences" of life aren't. The more you come into yourself and live in the moment, the more aware you become of the underlying order of creation. And with this, comes peace. This week's (other) exercise: So, how's your sense of humor? What about your life seems absurd? Serious?
