The Universe Laughed

The Universe seems to love having the last laugh. It continually throws things at us, and those around us, so that we may learn something from each experience. If we don't get it the first time, the Universe tries again with something else. A good example of this is when a person goes from one bad relationship to another. Until they see the pattern and learn why they are drawn to those toxic people, the Universe will continually create new lesson plans.

Sometimes our lessons come from observing others. There are times when we are on the outside, looking in, and able to watch things happen to others. Our observations of how other people handle themselves in a crisis can be our greatest source of learning. It can show us examples of what works and what doesn't. Panic? Bitch and moan? Wallow in pity? Take charge? Keep calm? Keep moving forward? We have choices. Each choice provides the opportunity to learn.

Once we've learned a lesson, the Universe moves on to teach another. It's just like going to school. Once we've learned our lessons for a particular grade, we are promoted to the next. But what happens before that promotion can take place? Final Exams! (Are you experiencing any flashbacks?) The end of the school year is a time to review what you've been taught and see how much information you have retained. Preparing for finals should be a process of reviewing what you've learned and making sure you understand everything. If something seems iffy, then that's what you concentrate on. Studying for finals should not be about trying to learn everything at once.

Are you beginning to wonder about the title of this blog? Are you wondering what the Universe is laughing about? Well, I'm getting to that.

Did you read my last entry? The one entitled "The Same Old Story" that was about dark clouds and a friend's leaky roof? As a reminder, here's that particular paragraph:

"Anna & John (not his real name) once had a bad leak in their house and needed to have their entire roof replaced, right down to the rafters because the plywood roof sheathing was rotting. Obviously, this was going to be much more expensive than just needing a new layer of asphalt shingles. What did I hear? “It’s just our luck! This always happens to us. Now we can’t go away this summer.” And do you want to know what was I thinking? No??? Well, I’m going to tell you anyway. I was thinking that if they had had their roof inspected and repaired when they’d noticed a tiny leak, three or four years earlier, they wouldn’t have such a large repair bill now. My husband and I took care of household repairs before they became major projects. Did we have better luck than our friends…or were we merely more responsible?"

So, do you have an inkling of an idea where I'm heading with this and why the Universe was laughing? Ding, ding, ding to those of you who figured out that my husband and I are dealing with a leaky roof and need everything replaced; everything but the clay tiles. Yep! Heavy rains, winds and hail have taken their toll and the small repairs are no longer working. It's not a good thing when you discover that water, which was trailing along a wallboard seam in the ceiling, is now traveling down the wire of a light fixture that hangs above your kitchen table.

As soon as I saw the water dripping onto the kitchen table, I had to laugh. The first thing that came to mind was my blog entry. I silently said to the Universe, "Yep. I get it!" And when I posted on Facebook about the leaks, who should comment on it but Anna! She said, "I'm so sorry. I feel bad for you." I thanked her and simply said that leaks like this are common here, given the severity of the rain storms, and things could certainly be worse. (All one has to do is think about homes that have been destroyed by hurricanes.)

And so, The Universe Laughed when it gave me that final exam. I had written about a friend who blamed everything on a dark cloud that continually hung over her. I learned a lesson from her, as an observer, and, when faced with a similar crisis, handled it with a very different way of thinking. Yes, we definitely had a dark cloud over us, but it was a storm cloud that affected many people and not a personal, dark cloud of doom.