“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”― Allen Saunders

Isn’t it crazy and sometimes heartbreaking how life doesn’t go as we plan?

Why is it we expect it to be the way we want it to be and then it’s not?

One of the things I’m practicing is learning to adapt in the moment that life throws a curve ball. I’m not saying I like it or that it’s easy, it just is. Life Is.  And I’m practicing and failing and practicing. Ugh.

Sometimes it’s a small change we hardly pay attention to, and sometimes it’s big. Really big.

Regardless of the change, once life happens we have to choose how to react to the given moment and hopefully we can do it with grace. And hopefully we can adapt gracefully, quickly, and without lingering negativity.

For example, today I was scheduled to play a USTA tennis match. I had mixed feelings about playing, but knew that I had this commitment and wanted to do my best despite my anxiety and conflicts about playing just today.

I got to the courts early for practice with my partner and finally warmed up to they idea of playing and enjoying the sunshine and slight breeze. I had sunscreen on. I had brought a bottle of Gatorade and had refilled my water bottle. I ate a power bar for energy and I was prepared and ready to win. However, right as we were getting on our assigned courts, the captain called my name and told me that one of the other team members got the time wrong and they defaulted on our court, meaning we no longer had to play and won the match by default.

This was not what I had expected. This is not the way I wanted to win. I reluctantly came, prepared to play and wanted to earn my win. I didn’t like being denied the opportunity to play, after I was ready and mentally prepared.  I was mad for a split second or two. And then I recovered and thought of Plan B. We should always be thinking of our Plan B and maybe even C and D.  My Plan B was to go home (while I was mad), but that would have meant chores and no exercise.  So I chose Plan C – and stayed and played singles with my partner and worked on a few new things. I was happy to have played and enjoyed the afternoon after all, with my friends, playing a little tennis, watching a little tennis in the shade and enjoying a lunch together afterwards.

I think the lesson is that life really doesn’t go as planned and that we should plan anyway, hope for the best, and then come up with a plan B or C or D, so that we can continue living in the moment, even if it’s not the moment we had envisioned.

Life IS good, despite the continuous curve balls.

Namaste BeLoveRs.