Though today was a usual day, there were a few key events that changed how things went. I’m not saying they were extremely significant or changed the course of my life forever. They were just mundane events that turned my day from predictable to delightful.
To start, I locked myself out of my apartment.
I’ve lived in my current place for almost three years and this was the first time I managed to close my front door without my keys in my pocket. Unfortunately, my landlady hadn’t been home at the time to let me back in, though she was thankfully on her way when I texted her. And to add insult to injury, it was raining.
I could have gotten angry over my rotten luck and sheer stupidity, but there didn’t seem to be a point. If things had been worse, I’d have texted all my friends to find one who could take me in like a lost puppy.
So, I sat on my front stoop, a little damp, and played on my phone until my landlady came back. It was nice and a little peaceful. The birds were chirping, and I got to pet a friendly doggie. It was nice to relax for a minute and enjoy the last day of March...even if I did get a little wet.
Fast forward a few hours and I’ve gotten to my favorite hiking spot. It was later than I wanted it to be, but beggars can’t be choosers (especially after they’ve locked themselves out of their apartment for half the morning). I decided to try a new trail, which was very muddy and partially flooded. Not a big deal for me. I don’t mind getting dirty, it’s not for everyone.
That’s when I met another hiker - a visitor from Belgium staying in one of the nearby towns for work and wanted to do something on her one day off. Unfortunately, since she was a visitor, she didn’t know much about the trails.
Fortunately, she ran into me.
She asked if she could join me and I said yes. I took her to some of my favorite spots on the trails that wouldn’t be as muddy, including the lookout peak where you can see New York City on a clear day. We couldn’t see the city, but it was still a nice view and we had a great time talking with each other.
However, neither one of would have met if she had decided to hike earlier and I hadn’t locked myself out of my apartment.
What’s the point of this anecdote?
Well, my aunts would tell me that this is an example of “everything happening for a reason”. Because I locked myself out, I was able to meet someone new. I don’t know how much I believe in that. My feelings on the idea of fate and destiny are mixed at best.
Nah, I think this is one of those times where I didn’t allow an unfortunate incident ruin my day and therefore got to make someone else’s a little better too. I mean I could have stayed home and sulked all afternoon.
Why today’s events happened aren’t as important as learning from them. Like making sure my keys are in my pocket before I close my locked front door.
Until next week.
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