Wrenches. Unexpected events or occurrences that get tossed into the machinery of life. As in, “Well, that really put a wrench in it!”
What do we do when we start our day all ready for productivity and greatness and then find a wrench stuck in the machine?
I think my answer is to watch for distortion. I was going to write about distortion anyway today, and then the universe provided me with a giant unexpected wrench. Here’s what happened.
My bicycle was stolen. Yes, that cute one on the right that I just took on a Fourth of July picnic with my honey. That one. It was stolen while locked up on an extremely busy street in the French Quarter in broad daylight. (Oh how I hate to tell you this, because I love my city and I don’t want you to think ill of it.) I haven’t given much thought to who did it or how – in fact I’m strangely unable to wish the thief or thieves ill. I hope somehow that something shifts in a positive way for them- some kind of change or lesson. But that is not my business. I don’t know their story and I never will.
So I ironically asked myself, “What’s perfect about this?” Not a whole heck of a lot. First I just felt disoriented and kind of stupid. Was I sure that’s where I’d parked it? Was that the light post I’d attached it to? Then I just felt crappy. And I allowed myself to feel crappy – I even shed a brief tear of frustration and general ickiness. A little bit of “poor me.” But I stuck with my plans and had a lovely lunch with a friend who was able to pick me up and drive me home too. I had a bag full of goodies from LUSH that I’ll be sharing with my retreat participants. (By the way, there’s still room in the retreat if you want to check it out!) I wasn’t missing anything except the bike.
I wish this story ended like the wallet story, with me turning the corner and forgetting I’d parked the bike in a completely different place, but alas, that’s not the case. However, when I got home, my sweetheart hugged me and said, “I’m so sorry this happened to you. You need a bike – let’s go get you a new one tomorrow.” And we can do that. We have enough money. We have enough and more than enough, of everything.
So what about distortion? Well I find that my mind can sometimes go into distortion mode. Sky is falling mode. Interestingly, my mind is generally better in the face of minor tragedies like petty theft. My mind’s preferred subject of distortion is in day to day dealings. It likes to distort how long something’s going to take, or how hopeless everything’s going to be if I’ve missed one day of a habit I’m trying to take up.
So next time you’re dealing with a major or minor wrench in your plans, watch your mind. Is it going into distortion mode? Is it whipping up a giant story about how awful everything is or is going to be? Ask yourself if you need to believe your mind, or just look around at the actual circumstances, and deal with them in the best way you know how.
Aww I am sorry for the loss of your bicycle.
Glad you could still have lunch but what a violation, being stolen from and in broad daylight.
Sorry to hear it Carla.
Yes, not fun for sure, Ruth. Flat Ruthie didn’t get to come out to play – I was too distracted! But at least she wasn’t tucked in the zipper pocket of my bicycle bag – now that would have been an adventure for her – Flat Ruthie as unwitting hostage! 🙂
Sometimes it’s hard to prevent that knee-jerk reaction to a wrench being thrown into our life. Thanks for showing me how you did it–maybe it will help the next time I’m in a similar situation!
Thank you! I got a new bike today. I’m pretty lucky!
This is an awesome outlook. I often deal with the same sort of distortion type thinking and even when I recognize it, it’s so hard to get out of. Thank you for this inside look to what is a pretty icky feeling situation.
Yes – state of mind is amazing! We probably waited around at the bike store for about an hour today while they put the baskets and lights on etc., and we were just both really relaxed and hanging out – they had some motocross on a tv – we were watching that for a while – those guys really catch some air when they go over the bumps! Anyway, neither of us was worried about time or in a rush – just hanging out together. I know sometimes in other situations I’ve been impatient – hovering, gritting my teeth – trying to make things go faster with my thoughts, which never works, of course! 🙂
And the feeling that it has to be rushed, now now now!, it makes it that much more tense. I’m glad the new bike experience was a good one.
(And sometimes, I think that those bumps, and huge leaps into the air – never knowing if there’s a net or safe landing – is so much like life….)
Love the motocross metaphor, Stephanie! Those guys really just go for it! 🙂
So sorry to hear about your bike. I started smiling as soon as I read started reading this because a little over a week ago the water main burst under our driveway and an entire day was lost – no mowing, no painting, no laundry, no showering. We were really angry because we had so many chores and then couldn’t get anything done, the driveway is ruined, the water company stinks, the 2nd break in 3 days and 5th in 4 years… blah blah. But on the bright side, we got to lounge on the couch and watch ‘The Artist’ and ‘Game of Thrones’ and eat popcorn and not be so darn busy.
Still pretty mad about the driveway mess, though!
Oh, Nicole, I saw your posts- so sorry – Your driveway looked like the Mississippi River! You really have had a lot of trouble with that water main! I hope they’ll compensate you for the damage. But yay for The Artist! I loved that movie and it was SOO happy! I haven’t seen Game of Thrones but it looks fascinating and I hear it’s addictive!