Have you ever had that feeling that something is off, just slightly? You cannot explain it as “it” has not happened yet. Only that “it” is going to happen. Perhaps you have made plans and you go ahead and prepare to take that trip/meet that person/decided to cover for a coworker at work… only for “it” to happen derailing everything. How do you prepare for something you do not know for sure is going to happen? Pay attention.
“It” happened to me last week. I was going to go see a good friend of mine who lives out of state who I had not seen in almost 10 years. Earlier this year I even attempted to take this trip for something to happen last minute. Thinking I would be able to anticipate the unknown this time, I started planning.
Since the trip was planned after daylight savings time ended, I planned to drive the six-hour trip in daylight leaving in the morning. I booked a motel room for two nights where I would leave on the return trip with plenty of daylight. I even tried to anticipate any medical flare ups and planned accordingly.
A week out, things were looking pretty good. I was looking forward to driving my car outside the city limits because of not commuting much due to COVID19. Speaking of COVID19, I got the Moderna booster shot. Still, I had this instinct that something, still unclear was going to happen at the last minute.
The day before the trip, I looked at the weather forecast and even got my car serviced. Things seemed l would be making this trip after all. I would only be losing one day of work which was maybe four clients I rescheduled for the next week. The trip was on!… until.
7:30am, the day I was supposed to leave I got up and decided to get an early start. “Jeffrey!!!!!!!!!!!!,” I heard yelling upstairs. It was my dad. “I am about to make you mad,” he said. “I’m not going on my trip am I,” I replied.
So, what happened? My dad was passing blood. Pretty serious right? As it ended up, I did not get mad. Part of me could have. Knowing my dad, he was scared and did not know who else to turn to.
Trusting your gut can mean more than being aware that something could happen at any moment. In that trusting, it is deciding to own whatever outcome happens. My outcome was that I did not go on my trip. Rather than getting angry at my father, I empathized with the side of him that was scared.
My dad went to the emergency room, and it turned out he had diverticulitis which is inflammation in his GI Tract. Because of the shortage of nursing staff, my dad’s trip to the ER turned into a week’s stay at the hospital as he needed blood transfusions. Since there is a shortage at the blood bank, that meant more waiting.
All of this is to say that whenever you get this feeling that something is not quite right, pay attention. And with paying attention, open yourself up to the possibility that whatever happens most likely will not go your way.
This past week was completely off and a complete blur because my dad was in the hospital. He is fine now, he got back yesterday. As for my friend, he understood even though the trip must be put off for a few months.
Unplanned events are a part of life. Has there been one that has really thrown you off?
If you are looking for a therapist near you then a Google search is a great way of finding one. I happen to be a therapist in Charlotte, NC but am licensed to counsel anyone in the state of North Carolina. In Google, try looking for “psychotherapist,” “find therapist,” “therapy near me,” or even “counseling charlotte, nc.” If you feel like you have hit a wall you are not able to get past, call me at (704) 458-6298 or email me at jeffhelms@clearerthoughtspllc.com.
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