I Can See Clearly Now
This week I took a spontaneous trip to Fort Lauderdale. With only one pair of contact lenses left, I needed to see my eye doctor for a yearly exam and a current prescription so I can order more lenses online. My attempts to find an eye doctor in Sarasota did not reveal an affordable option that compared to the excellent care I have received at Eyes on Sunrise in Fort Lauderdale since 2016. Even during the 3 years I lived in Houston, I continued getting my yearly eye exam there because of their exemplary service and care. I like that they take a photo of my retinas each year to monitor the health of my eyes. For these reasons, it felt like the highest choice to make the 3-hour drive to Fort Lauderdale.
When I made this decision last week, I looked at my calendar to see when it could happen. The following week I had no appointments on Sunday or Monday, but after that, a trip to Fort Lauderdale wouldn’t be possible until the end of August. I called Eyes on Sunrise to see if they had any openings on Monday or possibly Tuesday morning. Unfortunately, they did not. I continued calling every day to check for cancellations but to no avail.
In the meantime, I reached out to my dear friends whose wedding I officiated last December. They rent beautiful rooms in their home in Fort Lauderdale on Airbnb. At the wedding, they told me I am welcome to stay with them any time they have a vacancy. Lucky for me, they had no guests booked for Sunday night. Despite not having an appointment, I felt strongly guided to take the trip and trust if it was meant to be, I’d be able to see my eye doctor.
And why wouldn’t I go across the state? I had no plans in Sarasota. Even if I didn’t get my eyes checked, I’d have some quality time with an amazing group of friends. When I lived there, we often gathered in their beautiful home for game nights. Those gatherings were always filled with an abundance of laughter and silliness. I was thrilled when they scheduled one for Sunday night! There was no shortage of fun and laughter this time when we played a new game called "How's yours?" The night ended with a small group of us going to a local dance club for a few hours to shake our booties to the fabulous sounds of the 70s. There may not have been a disco ball, but the four of us sure had a ball!
The next morning, my plan was to call Eyes on Sunrise after doing my morning walk along Fort Lauderdale Beach. It was a trip down memory lane…literally! That was my morning routine for years. I loved seeing familiar landmarks like the wooden sculpture of a Native American chief as well as restaurants I used to frequent with my mom. And what a joy to jump into the Atlantic Ocean to cool off after an hour of exercise in the summer heat. My body was reminding me that I had danced for 2 hours the night before. Since I am not quite as resilient as the 25-year-old version of me, it felt glorious to float in that ocean for a while.
Sadly, when I called the eye doctor, there were still no cancellations. I decided to release the need for anything to be different and let the day unfold as it wanted to. They had my phone number if anything changed. Because I had no specific plans, one thing organically led to the next. Spirit provided me an opportunity to have one-on-one time with many of the friends that attended game night. Since it was a Monday, most of them were working. I had lunch with one friend who is off on Mondays. Chai tea with another after that. A beautiful conversation with one of the grooms when he returned home from work. Pizza with another friend when she finished work. And a breakfast conversation with the other groom the following morning.
I enjoy a big party with lots of people, but I actually prefer smaller gatherings where it’s easier to focus on one person at a time. Since I usually plan my visits to maximize seeing as many friends as possible, one-on-one time rarely happens. This day was such a gift!
You may be wondering about the eye exam. Well, a miracle happened once I released my attachment to getting that appointment. After checking with my hosts to see if I could stay another night, I called one more time late Monday afternoon to see if they had any openings for Tuesday morning. They did not. But I got a nudge to inquire when they opened the following day. The nice and very patient woman I had been harassing all week for an appointment said they open at 10 AM. Something told me to just show up at that time. Who knows? Maybe the first appointment would be a “no show.”
So, after my lovely conversation with the other groom, I packed up my car and drove to Eyes on Sunrise. I felt completely at peace no matter what happened. If I had an eye exam…great! If not, I still considered the trip a resounding success given the amount of quality time I had with those friends. I’m guessing by now you know what happened. Although they did not have any cancellations, Dr. Rashid said he could see me right away if I was available. Oh my goodness! I was beyond grateful!
I’m happy to report my eyes are healthy and my prescription did not change. Dr. Rashid also gave me a set of contact lenses so that removed any urgency to order more right away. And speaking of ordering, as they say in those infomercials, “Don’t order yet!” Miracles kept on coming. When I went to the front desk to pay, it turns out I had a $40 credit on my account! I guess the Universe wanted to make absolutely sure I knew I had made the right decision. As I drove west across Alligator Alley after my appointment, my heart was overflowing with gratitude for all that had transpired in less than 48 hours.
I would be honored to help you open your heart to more miracles with a series of Spiritual Coaching Sessions or a one-on-one Family Constellations Session. Both can uncover blocks to the awareness of Love’s presence and help you tap into your own intuition. For more information or to book a session, please look around my website or send me an email. You can also book a session with my automated scheduler. I look forward to working with you!
This day I choose to spend in perfect peace.
Lesson 255 ~ A Course in Miracles