My window into eternity opened recently amidst a fairly typical and common experience and I was overcome with tears of joy.
I had the pleasure of reuniting with a colleague who had become a friend. Time, distance, career change and an ocean had intervened to separate us. On the surface it would seem to most that this was an ordinary event, hardly of any import to anyone other than two old pals. But what started out as ordinary was something extraordinary . . . my window into eternity opened.
Our reunion began as many do with updates, status reports and life progress notes. We shared stories about our respective spouses and families. We offered chronologies that detailed milestones and significant events that had occurred during the ensuing years – highs and lows, successes and set-backs, losses and lessons. And just like old times, we ventured into policy discussions about issues that matter to both. We giggled and gossiped – well only a little – and before long it was just like old times. Hours flew by, late morning coffee replaced by lunch and then late afternoon tea. Our minds re-synced, our lives rejoined, our friendship re-knit, our hearts reconnected; by anyone’s assessment a successful yet typical reunion.
And then, again typically, we reminisced about how we first met. I was on a conference panel and Jen asked an insightful question during the Q & A. I made a mental note to follow-up with her at the close of the program. But she left the room before I could catch her and was soon lost in the crowd. Hours later we were on adjacent escalators but heading in different directions. In a silly scene fitting for Saturday Night Live, I reversed direction and began running up the down escalator so that I could catch her. Viola’! Success, our collaboration and friendship began. Noteworthy at the time because of the silliness factor, it was only during our recent reunion that I would come to appreciate its true significance.
As our time together winnowed down, Jen recounted how our initial, seemingly chance meeting and the connections that ensued had triggered a chain reaction of major opportunities and life events. These had culminated in her current professional position – one which provides significant opportunity to positively affect many lives along with much personal satisfaction, professional recognition and all the other trappings of a perfect job. Our chance encounter had been anything but . . . it had been a proverbial fork in the road, directing her life for more than a decade since. I was overcome with emotion – joyful surprise and most of all awe of the destinal role I had played in Jen’s life.
Jen’s story was a profound reminder that each of us arrives in life having agreed to play major and minor roles in the lives of others as their soul’s plan for this lifetime unfolds. We have entered into sacred contracts to be part of the unfolding of the life plans of many. We may not ever realize consciously that we have met the terms of the agreements that we made in soul state during our life between lives; or that we have assumed a pivotal role in the unfolding of another’s destinal plan. Ironically, what we may view as a minor role played may have created a major gateway for the other person. And quite frankly that’s huge!!!
Think about it for a minute. Think of the thousands of people you have interacted with in your lifetime – hundreds of whom you count as family, friends, neighbors, coworkers and colleagues. Some of them close, others more inconsequential. Now think of the myriad interactions that you have had with all of these people. I am no mathematician but even I know that if you multiply the two you will get a huge number – a huge number of interactions and exchanges that may have been your part in their destinal plans, you moving within the Ocean of Oneness . . .
As the impact of Jen’s story and accolades sank in, I understood my uncontrollable tears and the overwhelming sense of bliss. While we had been two professionals chasing after each other on up-down escalators, we had simultaneously been a part of the Ocean of Oneness . . . the Ocean of Oneness that some call God. Through our reminiscing, my window into eternity opened and I was able to peer in. . . . [separator top=”40″ style=”shadow”][social_links colorscheme=”171752″ facebook=”https://www.facebook.com/theSoulSource”]
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