You Never Know

The last time we ate at the Columbia Restaurant in Tampa's Ybor City, Peg and I were in Tampa in 2009 for a conference/retreat which was part of our anniversary celebration that year. Little did we know the next time would be to meet our daughter, Jayme, there for dinner six and half years later - and we would live in the Tampa Bay Area in Clearwater.  You never know.

The same can be said for just about anything we do, or anywhere we are. Look back in your life five years, or even two, and ask, "Did I have any idea I would be where I am in my life today?" And the "place" need not be physical. Perhaps our different place is a shift in attitude, or perspective, or belief. It could be the loss of someone close, the renewal of a friendship/relationship, the discovery of a new talent, or a reawakening of lost passion for life.  Whatever it is, one thing is for sure, we are not the same person we were then.

Here's a twist. We also won't be the same person tomorrow or five years down the road. Things change. And when they do, we humans have two wonderful qualities that allow us to not only survive change but to flourish in it. We have the ability to dream and envision our future, and we have the ability to adapt to whatever circumstances come our way as those dreams and visions unfold. In doing so we plant seeds for the future, either consciously or not. And because we may not be aware of the seeds we are sowing, we may be surprised at what eventually grows. Who knows - maybe we were sowing such seeds nearly seven years ago while enjoying a weekend respite and a good meal in unique restaurant?        

Recently I've had a persistent phrase rattling around in my mind, "We know what we know - until we know something else." And of course you never know what that "something else" might be.