August 5, 2015 Anchor the peace that lives within you regardless of what is happening around you, and experience the divine perfection that comes with being present in the Spirit here and now. – John Morton I danced for two hours and I felt exhilarated, yet tired, because it was a late night after a day at work. I drove into my home parking lot, parked and reached for my purse, which wasn’t there. As I looked under the seats and in the trunk, it was nowhere to be found. That sinking feeling came over me right in the pit of my stomach. Where was it?! Then it occurred to me, I must have left it at the dance studio! By this time it was 10:30pm and it was probably closed! I took a deep breath and reminded myself to stay calm, clear and that everything is perfect. In the big picture of life this isn’t a big deal. I immediately called the studio and felt surprised and relieved to hear Rita on the other end of the phone. Rita told me that she was only there because she also forgot something and ran back into the building. In that moment the phone rang something told her to answer instead of letting it go to voicemail. The studio was closed for the next three days, a rare occurrence, so thankfully she was willing to wait for me to drive back. On the long drive home at 11:30pm I asked myself, “What good is here that isn’t obvious?” The good that became apparent was: 1) Rita also forgot something, which led her back into the studio, rather than going home for the evening. 2) Something inside her prompted Rita to answer the phone and not let it go to voicemail. 3) Rita thanked me for forgetting my purse because she used the time waiting for me to do something important on-line. Hearing this freed me to give myself permission to let go of any guilt or judgment for inconveniencing her. 4) My wallet and the medication I needed were in my purse and the studio would be closed for the next three days. Had Rita not picked-up the phone I would not have had either giving me a big mess to clean up. 5) I spent the :40 of drive time “dancing with self-forgiveness” and the judgments I had about my forgetfulness and peace accompanied me all the way home. By the time I arrived home for the 2nd time (with my purse secured on my lap) I felt relieved and grateful that I was “taken care of” rather than having spent my drive time beating myself-up for making a mistake. Boy, did I sleep well! The next time you find yourself in what seems like is not a good situation ask yourself, “What good is here that isn’t obvious?” Who knows, once you rest in the answer, you too might create a blissful night sleep. I do believe in an everyday sort of magic — the inexplicable connectedness we sometimes experience with places, people, works of art and the like; the eerie appropriateness of moments of synchronicity; the whispered voice, the hidden presence, when we think we’re alone. ― Charles de Lint