“Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you.”–Rashi
A fortunate encounter? Some might call my latest lesson in letting go a mis-fortune…
On my way to the parking lot after my chiropractor’s appointment the other day I was startled to see my car – right where I had left it just 45 minutes earlier (in perfect condition, I might add) – completely smashed in the front.
I walked around thinking this could not possibly be my car (it was), and this could not possibly be happening to me (it was).
The entire front bumper, hanging by one bolt, had been ripped off the chassis. There was broken glass everywhere. And no note. No “I’m so sorry, here’s my number, here’s my insurance information, call me, we’ll make this right…”
I stood there in complete disbelief.
My mind, searching for meaning and finding none, did what it does when it needs to make sense of things: it rationalizes; it has a long dueling chat with itself.
In the two hours that it took to sort out what to do, I watched my two sides – Spacious me and Poor me – duke it out:
Spacious me: Hmm… this is interesting..
Poor me: OMG, My car was in a hit and run! This never happens to me.
Spacious me: It could have been a lot worse…I could have been IN the car.
Poor me: Such a violation! Only a brute and a coward could be so careless as to tear into the front end of this beautiful [15 year old] car and take off like that.
Spacious me: He-llo? What do we have here? There’s is a auto body shop right next door that I can walk to.
Poor me: It’s going to cost a fortune. I have to pay for someone else’s mistake?!
Spacious me: [after a lovely Armenian man from the auto body shop comes to my rescue] I’m in good hands, this guy is going to take care of my car.
Poor me: But, but…I have no time for this!
Spacious me: Everyone is so friendly and empathetic – the lady from Triple A roadside service, my insurance company handler, the police officer who wrote up the report, the gas station attendant across the street who apologized (for not having surveillance cameras that could reach far enough to capture the scene of the crime), the angel from the auto body shop who will fix my car…
On balance, dent to car and pocketbook notwithstanding, Spacious wins.
If not for the rush that you feel when you are unperturbed, unattached, and curious to see how it all turns out.
Love your description of “poor you” versus “spacious you.” So great that the “observer you” can tell you have a choice between these two aspects of yourself. Sorry about your car. Great reminder that there will always be some bumps in life. It is how we choose to hold what happens that makes all the difference.