This week didn’t go according to my plan. I have heard the saying, tell God your plans and you’ll hear him laugh and laugh. I feel as though God has been laughing at me all week- actually for the last couple of weeks. I did something, to protect myself, based on past fears. I had plans to carry out this thing to protect myself by enlisting the help of others. Because wires got crossed and communication with those in authority was misleading, this thing didn’t happen. I still don’t know why it hasn’t happened, and I’ve been struggling all week with why.
I know I’m being vague, and that’s purposeful. It’s a private issue, but something that has become a more public event. This was where the problems began. The first problem was miscommunication about how the event needed to be scheduled. Once it was scheduled further miscommunication kept it from happening. After that it was my job to deliver the event to the right place. Despite being told the event could happen in the new location, further miscommunication kept it from happening. To make it happen in the new location would have taken great effort on my part, effort I was prepared to make the effort until my engine light came on. So now, now I wait.
My friend suggested that this is purposeful. That the Universe/God has other plans and by delaying this event, there must be a reason. I can’t find the reason. I’ve been moping about all week, trying to figure out the reason. I may never know the reason, and I suppose I have to be okay with that. But not having the event happen, being thwarted at every turn really, made me take a look at it all. And by all I mean my life- and the fears, anger, self-doubt and isolation I’ve been living with for a long time.
I’ve done a really good job of hiding- from myself, from my family and from friends. I’ve done a really good job of making it seem okay for everyone else, while I struggled daily with the darkness. My defense mechanism has been avoidance, and it finally became clear last night. It all come to a head with a simple meal.
I made this last night-
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It is cornbread waffles, topped with chili con carne, Fritos, sour cream and cheddar cheese, with a Hefeweizen beer. Now it may not seem like a big deal, it’s a meal like many other meals I’ve had in my life. It feels strange to suggest that cornbread waffles with chili was a spiritual awakening for me, but it kind of was. The first thing to consider is that is comprised of things I normally don’t like or avoid eating. On the surface of it all, I don’t care for chili, I avoid making waffles, and I haven’t had a beer in over 14 years.
Why? Well, I’m very particular about chili- I hate beans in my chili, and I don’t like it too spicy, so if I eat it, which isn’t often I always make it myself. I’ve avoided making waffles because for a while waffles were a tradition in my marriage. And I don’t like the taste of most beers, and I have very little respect for American beers. So last night was a fluke of sorts. I had a dear friend who had made this dish herself a few months back and suddenly cornbread waffles was a goal to achieve. It sounded good, so I even went out and bought a new waffle maker, with the express purpose of making cornbread waffles at some point. But like my week, I kept putting it off… fear, doubt, or lack of confidence in it tasting good, however I kept myself from it, I did.
Then yesterday, after putting it off for all of the reasons I could think of, not liking chili, waffles being a forgotten tradition, and beer not tasting good- I ignored my fears and had one of the best meals I’ve had in a very long time. And that is when I discovered the transformative power of facing your fears!
Nothing wrong with making my own chili- I know how I like it and it’s comforting in it’s own way, I don’t have to avoid eating chili just because I don’t like anyone else’s. Waffles may have been a long forgotten tradition, but now they’re my tradition, my waffles are far better than the waffles of my past. And I quit drinking beer because someone else couldn’t handle drinking, I can have a good beer if I want to now. And I like a good Hefeweizen. So aside from being a really delicious meal, I learned a little about myself- that I no longer have to avoid things because of my past experiences. I can do something for me, about me and that is good for me without having to worry about who it affects. This is my life and it’s time I started living it for myself!
I think it’s about time I learned and accepted that I’m here… where I’m meant to be, when I’m meant to be. When it’s time to move on… I can and will.
Defying Gravity 