Yesterday I woke up with a plan.  I was going to leave work a little bit early and see a matinee double feature (Spiderman and Baby Driver).  Why?  Why not?  I’m stressed and it a little escapism wouldn’t hurt.

But that’s not at all what happened.  Moreover, everything that did happen served a better purpose.

First, I found out that my perfect scheduling was not working out.  The second movie was suddenly not playing at the expected time.  Every other day, yes.  Today, no.  Ok.  I’ll roll with it.  Maybe I’ll just see one movie and maybe, if I’m lucky, it was just a mistake in the schedule.

I’m working along, in the flow, and suddenly it’s past the time I planned to leave.  One last email to answer and I have to make a stop to pick up a book.  Oof!  Maybe I’ll take a taxi.

No, I decide to wait for the bus.  Maybe I’m not supposed to go to these movies today.  What about a later movie?  Hey, Dunkirk is playing a bit later.  Let’s see.  The bus comes within minutes and I’m on the way.  I get to the office to pick up the book and if I get in and out quickly, I can take a taxi.

Nope.  I meet with the person who has the book I need and I meet other members of my virtual editing team, which is really nice since we are only in contact online and this is real human contact in a relaxed, non-work-focused conversation.  Dunkirk starts without me.

Now I’ve given up the double feature plan and I remember that there is a good shawarma place a block away.  I buy one and get back to the bus stop just as my bus pulls up.  Home, Jeeves!

Illustrative picture of shawarma, food of the gods

While I’m stuffing my face with shawarma at home, I turn on my computer to get started on work and find that my mouse is broken.  My beloved cat swatted it off the couch in the morning and it was apparently one time too many.  I cannot work without a mouse, so after the shawarma lands in my tummy I decide to go out a get a new mouse.  And then I remember I should go to the bank (the tangent about banking in Israel can be summed up in a word: annoying!) and it just so happens that the timing is perfect.

Oh, she looks innocent, but her spirit name is Mouse Killer

I get to the office supply store and they don’t have my snazzy mouse, but I got one that’s half the price and a spare that was even cheaper. After a miraculously quick stop at the bank, I’m standing at a light deciding which way to go; my decision is made when the light turns green directing me down Ben Yehuda Street.

And I stroll to the odd radio that I missed in previous walks in the area.

I don’t know.  Your guess is as good as mine

And I meander along walking off the heavy shawarma.

I get home and I feel … good.  I hadn’t run away to a dark movie theater to hide from my stress, but instead made positive real-life connections, got a new mouse, went to the bank, and got some exercise. Every step along this path was made exceptionally easy and every time I tried to invoke my hiding plan, there was an obstacle. Clearly, letting go of my own plan and allowing this better plan to play out was better for me.

This isn’t quite on the level of “Woman plans, God laughs,” but sometimes we all have to accept that once in a while there are unexplainable forces pushing and pulling us in various directions.  We are, of course, all masters and mistresses of our own destinies and there are times to strive against obstacles and go for what you want.  But then there are other times when the choice is simply to say “Yes” and let the rest flow.

Epilogue: Remember when I bought two mouses?  That seemed odd at the time.  I mean, who buys two mouses for themselves? But it turned out that the half-price mouse isn’t sensitive enough and I actually ended up using the even cheaper spare.

“I love it when a plan comes together.”