Listening to the Universe

I'm one of those people who believes that if you listen and pay attention to the universe, the world you live in, all the answers you seek will be revealed. For someone who doesn't put much stock in organised religion or the church, I've got a lot of faith.

For me the most common question is, "Am I doing the right thing?" From time to time I think everyone questions where they are in life, whether they're on the right path or lost in the bushes someplace. You don't need to have doubt about your place in the world. If you pay attention to what the world is telling you, you'll know for sure whether you're doing the right thing or not.

Like the time I was trying to date that boy . . . the REALLY young one . . . remember him? We had a fantastic movie date that went off without a hitch. I felt really good about the whole thing and by going on that date I realised I was truly baggage-less for the first time in my life and ready to embrace the idea of getting close to someone again. That date was something I needed to do, the very thing I was supposed to do at that time in my life.

It was such a great date in fact that the boy and and I continued to talk and planned a second date . . . that never happened. He cancelled because of unexpected family visitors. I cancelled because of unexpected financial hardship. He cancelled because of unexpected automobile woes. I cancelled because of unexpected work events. Try as we might, we just couldn't seem to connect a second time.

Finally, months later, we were both in the same general area with the right amounts of cash and cars and family and work . . . we spoke on the phone and said we'd meet a few hours later when we were both free . . . he was supposed to call me again to see where I was in order to pick me up . . . the entire Rogers cellphone grid for our region went down that night for a few hours just when that boy would've been trying to call me. This is not a common thing. I've never heard of the system crashing before or since. No calls could be placed or received. All I had was a Rogers cellphone. There was no other way for us to communicate.

When I talked to him next I told him the universe had spoken loud and clear. I thanked him again for the great evening, wished him luck in life and love, and said I wouldn't be seeing him again. I have never regretted breaking off that communication. The universe had to go to some pretty drastic measures to get me to stay away from that boy, lol, but knocking out the cellphone system was a pretty good frying pan over the head.

Years ago I would've never taken the hints. I'd struggle off my path and into the woods, ignoring the signs the universe would put up to try and lead me back, and wonder why life was always so hard, why everything I touched fell apart, why everyone seemed to want only to hurt me. Why me, Lord? Why me?

I'm glad I remember what life was like then, the way it felt to go against myself at every opportunity. Remembering helps me to pay even more attention now. When the universe speaks to me now, more and more, I listen.

Today I was asked to host the Friday night reading event at the WFNB AGM in Moncton this weekend. One of the authors I'll be introducing is Irish and has written a story about Bono from U2 that has been made into a film in which Bono stars. The man knows Bono! I will meet him this weekend, shake his hand, perhaps spend the night drinking with him and listening to stories about Dublin. I will then be one degree of separation from Bono.

Also today I emailed a friend to congratulate her on winning a prize in the WFNB literary competition and she wrote back to ask me if I would help with the Frye Festival next year. If I would co-ordinate an event at Mount A. An event that they hope will be covered by Daniel Richler and Book TV. A panel discussion between an English and an Acadian author . . . the English author they're trying to get is none other than Ann-Marie MacDonald! If you've been reading my blog very long you'll remember how crazy I was to meet her last fall at the Alden Nowlan Festival and the history we shared with me selling t-shirts at a Sunday matinee of Goodnight Desdemona.

Also today I was asked to edit an anthology of work by the Miramichi Writers' Guild and I made plans to get together with a friend of mine and discuss the particulars during the AGM this weekend.

In other bits of positive reinforcement, my father bought me a microwave and a fly swat for my new apartment (the latter to kill any spiders I might run across, since being so traumatized by the ones living here) and he actually apologised for saying something not so nice to me, explaining that he was just kidding and thereby killing the usual mega-fight that I've grown so used to.

Have I mentioned that I've taken an apartment with a loft and a skylight, on a street straight from a Stephen King novel, and with a landlord who drinks California Merlot and is a journalist for the CBC . . .

I tell you the universe speaks to me everyday lately, and she says I'm doing just fine.

Mood: Excited!
Drinking: Nothing
Listening To: Blue Skies, Betty Hutton
Hair: Greasy around the edges