The cracks were there from the outset, even though we can't see them - it is just how life has always been. Haven't you heard, change is the only constant. Simple, yet deep and profound. When we seek perfection in anything, we are just delusional. So where am I going with this, you wonder? Tell me, how many times in your life have you realized that things didn't turn out as expected that you were forced to change course? More than you could remember, I bet.
This year 2020 has certainly revealed to us something that we would never have imagined possible: a global pandemic that has brought the entire world to its knees. We have suffered great losses: loss of loved ones, of freedom from rules and regulations, of jobs or careers, all in such a short period of time. We so crave for things to go back to normal again - days we can throng lovely places without having to worry about keeping the right distance, days we can throw parties or events without having to be concerned of imposed fines, days we can meet and greet with friends or colleagues without being alert of potential virus spread, days when we can just dine out late and enjoy the companion of great cuisine and our favorite people without the queue and jotting-down our personal details, or at least, days we don't have to be informed about the increasing toll of deaths or positive COVID19 tests. But what if this is the new normal? What if life is simply unfolding in ways that it has always meant to? It is what it is, it's sometimes so hard for us to accept. Were there signs before that have led us to where we are today? Perhaps, but who would have noticed and how would we know what to look out for? Still, why is that even important at all?
Let me share with you what recently happened. During the first autumn morning on Tuesday, as my son and I got ready to head out for his school, the garden door won't open. It was stuck and I could not turn the key. Worse still, the key was broken into half at the final twist and right there, when I saw the other half was stuck inside the lock, I could not hold back my frustrations. We went out to our car through the front door and thankfully, I managed to drop him off at school on time. For the next two days, we have to walk to and fro, out the front door and round the block to get to the car park and back. As much as I was feeling not too happy about it, honestly I saw it coming. All the red flags were there since day one when the garden door and fence attached to it were built by my neighbor alongside with his. I always hurt my finger when I needed to open the door. I had to spend at one time 10 minutes in advance working with the lock, to be punctual for any appointments. The lock was not functioning the way it was supposed to. I would rather leave the door unlocked when we were out, afraid that we couldn't get inside by the time we got home. My neighbor also mentioned once that he faced the same but we sort of left it as that and "see how it goes". What was that ideally even mean, see how it will go? It was obvious to me that I could have admit to him that we need to have it replaced as soon as possible, instead of giving him the impression that I was okay to have paid for something that never worked. It was clear that a door should work as a door - it can be opened, closed and locked, without any fuss. I could have hired a professional locksmith to have a look at it before it was all broken down with half a key stuck inside of it. Yet, I waited for the trigger, that trigger that eventually pushed me to taking the same action, but likely to save me some more time, energy and money, if done much earlier. In the end I have to fork out quite a sum to have the lock replaced in return for the comfort of safety and security of our home. The bottom line is, however the situation turned out to be, the renewal of the lock was supposed to happen. It must have screamed many times to my face to have it inspected and replaced, but I have ignored it long enough until it eventually left me with no choice but to take the necessary actions. Yet it was undoubtedly the outcome that I was looking for.
Life has its way with us. Its aim is nothing else but to teach us something when the moment is right. We are all students of life! If we are present enough and take heed of warnings or signs along the way, we will anticipate and be well-equipped to handle any circumstances life throws at us. And if we don't, we just have to learn it the hard way. Either way, it does not change how life will unfold itself. When we finally understood the glass is already broken, there is nothing to hold on to and we are ready to show up for life as it is, knowing that all its imperfections are what exactly worth living for. What a relief!
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