I heard a story during an Esalen Yoga Retreat. It was very simple and random, but it stuck and has oddly showing up in my life. She was a unique woman from Brooklyn. I say unique in admiration, because she was so openly herself. Everything she felt and thought was expressed in the moment that it happened. I often giggles in response to her bluntness, I loved how open and honest she was and delivered in a loving way.
We sat at lunch one day and she grabbed the corner of her shirt to point out the hole she had created in the side where the label once lived. “I hate labels in my shirt, immediately after buying a shirt I cut the tags out and it makes this hole. A few months ago, I created a sewing kit that had everything I needed to fix the holes. That kit sat in my draw for what seemed like a long time. At first after purchasing the kit, whenever I saw my shirt hole, I had that feeling of guilt that I still hadn't sewed the shirt.” One day, it was the day, she was ready to sit down and sew up about 30 shirts.
I smiled nicely, letting her know I heard the story, but had a slight moment of this is a random story, totally out of context with what the group was talking about. And now this is the story that I have been pulling from most since returning from my yoga retreat. I realized it’s so rare that we know the impact we have on others. How we say things sometimes wondering why the hell did I just say that. From where I sat, she said things when she felt moved to say them and this story was definitely intended for my ears.
This inspired me to do things in my life as they come up, instead of forcing myself to start and finish a project in one span of time. She helped me realize we do things in the past that will show up in the future, exactly when they are needed. My little computer mind wants to do things in perfectly planned out steps, but I’m learning that often smoothers magic and creativity.