The universe always knows what’s best for us, even if it sometimes has a funny way of showing it.

I had been feeling under the weather since yesterday, and somewhere between last night and this morning I developed a full-blown cold. Despite the symptoms—throat pain, drowsiness and an extremely tiring whole-body ache—I managed to convince myself that I would go to the studio and give the usual afternoon yoga class.

Obviously, it wouldn’t have been wise to do the asana demonstrations, but I was confident that in spite of how weary I felt I could still lead class and my students wouldn’t have to miss another day of yoga. Under no circumstance did I want to cancel, since we already had a few ‘freebie’ days last week.

So, after a short nap, a cup of tea, a light snack, some Echinacea and a shower, I was ready to be the responsible teacher I thought I should be, and not let my students down just because I wasn’t feeling great. Of course, I didn’t realize that when you are feeling like shit, your head isn’t particularly in the right place. I grabbed my bag and shut the door only to realize… I didn’t have my keys, any of them.

No car keys, no studio keys, and luckily (you will see why later) no apartment keys. I had locked myself out. It was kind of a not-so-sweet way of Life telling me, “Sorry kid, you’re not going anywhere.” So I sent a few texts and made a couple of phone calls, making sure to let most people know that, unfortunately, there wouldn’t be any class today. Sensing a little bit of my frustration while speaking on the phone, one of my students told me, “Maybe it just wasn’t meant to be” (as in, maybe there wasn’t meant to be class today). “I guess so,” I thought to myself, with this creeping feeling that I had failed them.

There was really nothing else I could do but sit and wait until someone came over to help break the doorknob so I could open the door. While I was supposed to be teaching class, I found myself sitting in my “front yard” (which conveniently happens to be located right on the beach) and having an impromptu meditating session. Amidst admiring today’s breathtaking sunset and a little bird watching (yes, I do like watching birds and find them quite interesting), I thought about how I would jokingly write that maybe it did happen for a reason. What if I could have been in a car accident or something tragic of the sort?! Curiously, that thought lingered in my head: “I could’ve been in a car accident. Who knows?” 

Time passed and eventually, my fiancé came over and very heroically broke open the door. In between my many “thank you’s,” he apologized for taking a bit longer due to a few unexpected delays, including a big car accident on the PR-115. There were even firemen at the site, so he had to take another route.

Wait, what? An accident? Yep, and a big one apparently. I instantly had goosebumps all over. My student’s words, “Maybe it just wasn’t meant to be,” and that thought, “I could’ve been in a car accident. Who knows?” were lingering in my head. Well, Life apparently knows.

Calculating the time I would’ve left my apartment and been on the PR-115 on my way to the studio, I would’ve probably been involved in the accident, and if I wouldn’t have been part of it, I would’ve been quite close to it. Either way, I wouldn’t have made it to class.

Case in point: sometimes in spite of our efforts and good intentions, things happen to us that we just can’t understand. And sometimes, more often than not, they happen for a reason.

Despite my sincere attempt to push through and be there for my yoga students, and despite the feeling of frustration of not being able to live up to that, it just wasn’t meant for me to follow through. Someone up there had other plans for me, with sincere and good intentions as well. Call it Life, the Universe, a case of synchronicity, whatever you want—I call it God.

So just remember, the Universe works in awfully mysterious ways, and although we can’t find an explanation for everything, or instant answers to all of our questions, sometimes we must simply cultivate the virtue of patience, learn to wait and let it be.

So, next time you lose your keys, drop a plate on the floor or spill a drink on yourself on your way out… don’t beat yourself up too much, you never know when it’s a force much greater than yourself that is watching over you.

Stephanie Soler is a Caribbean girl living in the beautiful small surf town of Rincon in Puerto Rico. She is an avid nature, wildlife, outdoor, night sky, archery, anthropology, dance, photography, 40’s & 50’s Jazz, Blues, Soul, Disco and Bossa Nova lover who happens to hold a B.A. degree in Psychology and a Minor in Biology. Fully bilingual in Spanish and English she hopes to become somewhat as fluent in Brazilian Portuguese, Italian or Bahasa Indonesian and fervently dreams of traveling the World. She is also a certified yoga teacher and the founder of Spot Yoga. Her classes are taught in a lighthearted spirit, with much love, patience, kindness, and always with a sense of humor. | Visit Spot Yoga online. | Email: [email protected]

 

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• Asst. Ed: Jessica Wallin
• Ed: Brianna Bemel