How Well Do You Flow With Change?

It was Friday and I was squeezing in a hike between business meetings.  I headed to Terranea, an awesome resort right on the bluff above the ocean in Palos Verdes, here in southern California, and I was looking forward to walking the trail all along the bluff that skirts the massive resort and overlooks the beautiful expanse ofocean.

As I got on the trail, I felt soooooo happy, even giddy!  I felt such pleasure in the sun, hiking, touching to the earth, in a luxuriously beautiful area. I saw 2 dolphins in the water below, lots of kelp and seaweed, and the most beautiful colors of blue.  I took the trail to the end, and turned around, enjoying the beauty and my thoughts, getting back to my car in about 90 minutes.  

As I soaked up the pleasure of the moment, knowing I had to head back shortly, my husband, Jerome, texted me and said he was feeling me enjoying myself and encouraged me to stay in the flow.  Wow…I didn’t even consider it.  I was fixed in having to leave, and his suggestion jarred me out of my rigidity and into the thought of more adventure!

So I called and changed my 3 PM appointment to Monday. Just like that, my day was opened.  My pleasure was deepened, and I could tell there was more to explore...now what?  I realized I was hungry so I sauntered over to Nelson’s, the outside restaurant that sits right on the bluff.   I ordered a margarita and swordfish tacos, and I knew their margaritas were yummy good because I had had one there before.  

I then sat at my table, luxuriating in every sense available to me:  the sun’s warmth on my skin, the beauty of the sea, the yummy margarita and tacos, and I took out a pad of paper and began to write.  I was bursting with ideas about the expanse and change in my business, ideas that have been emerging throughout the pandemic.

And then I paused, lost in thought, and looked out over the quiet rolling of the sea. At that very moment a WHALE arched out of the water, gliding out and back in with such power and grace. I spontaneously stood up and yelled, “Look!  A whale!  Right there in the white waters!”  There were 5 or 6 people around me, and clearly no one saw it.  No one even made any overture of interest.  Just me.  It was massive and slow moving and it felt like 50 feet long.  A WHALE. Just for me.  I’ve never seen a whale outside of captivity--I never thought of whales being visible from the coastline.  I was shocked, buoyed and overjoyed!  A WHALE…

The WHALE symbolizes the large idea…holding the LARGE IDEA.  I can’t skim over the fact that I was pondering this large idea forming in my business over this past year.  I had been writing about it and present to it, and then the whale shows up—to showcase the large idea. I felt a personal connection with this being, and it made my day.

The truth is, none of this magical adventure would have occurred if I hadn’t listened to Jerome and taken his suggestion to stay in my flow.  I wouldn’t have met my whale, or had a deeper fulfillment of a pleasure-filled day.  How often do I miss such magical adventures by not staying present to the flow?   I am so happy I stuck around for this one--it was one WHALE of a great day!   

How about you?  How well do you flow with those opportunities that just show up and change your day?