I recall a story a Christian friend of mine once told me. It was about a minister, who in the middle of a severe flood decides he needs to go back and save his congregation that was stranded. When people objected he said “God will take care of me.” So off he went, swimming against the raging waters trying to get back to his stranded congregation. A boat went by and tried to pick him up, he explained “God will take care of me” and sent them off. He starts struggling when another boat comes by and tries to rescue him. “God will take care of me” were his words as he sent them away. Another boat comes by – and again he sends them away with the same faith that God will take care of him. Exhausted and cold, he can’t get any further and drowns. When he meets with God in heaven, he asks “why didn’t you take care of me when I was trying to save those people??” God replies simply, “I sent three boats!”
I don’t care if you are a Christian or not because there are times when you are flailing and the universe is trying to help you – and you miss the boat. The boat may not be a boat persae, but it may be something else – something that may not look, on the surface, something that will rescue you, but is.
If you believe in Karma or universal energy or another higher power other than the Christian God, we all manifest what happens in our life. Good begets good. Positive begets positive. Whether you are praying on your knees, or meditating over something you are trying to make happen in your life – you are asking for something to manifest in your life – a boat, if you will, to save you or guide you in a situation.
What is funny about this is that you get, not what you want, but what you need. (My apologies to the Rolling Stones, but it’s a good line.) Maybe what you need is for your world to blow up. Maybe what you need is not money for the bills but a good friend who can support you in a different way. Maybe what appears is to take things a better way. Maybe what appears is to force you to take a look at yourself and change. Maybe what appears is your penance that will fix a lot of things if you take the medicine. Who knows. But it is there for a reasons.
I am writing about all of this because I look around me right now and see people waving off boats. The universe or higher power or whatever is trying to get them the opportunity to change – and they are waving it off because the “help” does not look like the help they want. In other words, they have an answer they are hoping for – and don’t like what is being given as the answer. And so, like a child, they are choosing to ignore it – fight against it – or pretend as they do whatever they want.
And these people make me want to shake them and yell “look at what the universe is trying to tell you – how many times does it have to smack you in the head before you get that THIS may be your last chance to pay attention before something really bad happens?!?”
I hope people start paying attention as it is hard watching people self destruct when all you can really do is sit back and watch. And try to be there for the people who are directly affected by those who are not paying attention, hoping that they remain whole or find a positive side to the consequences of those they love. Most importantly, I hope they realize they have a place in the boat – a place they take – as we all watch the person flail and hope they learn.
