Letting the Stars Align vs Perseverance

I certainly have no excuse for not blogging now with my MB Air that’s so easy to bring to cafés. Or, just in bed. Anyway, I’ve always felt that if the keyboard is inviting, my fingers will just find its way to it, and you know what, that is so true. I guess these little piggies don’t find the MB Pro as inviting anymore.

The other day, I was hanging out with my good friend at our company-sponsored Giants game. She wanted to buy a jersey for her dad that had the coach’s name at the back. We went all around and checked the little clubhouse stores in the stadium to no avail. Fail number 1. We finally reached the main store and they told us they don’t make a jersey like that. Fail number 2. But, it can be custom made at the store for the same price. Because it was about $165, she wanted to check with her dad first. Her dad ended up wanting a player’s name instead. Fail number 3. Well then that’s fine. We went to look for a jersey of his favorite player, and of course, there was no medium. Fail number 4.

For a little bit, we discussed alternatives. But after a bunch of “well we could do this…” she said, “you know what, I feel the stars aren’t aligning for this. I shouldn’t try here anymore.” She did feel that the price tag was a stretch, and she sensed her dad wasn’t too excited about it when she talked to him. So, just like that, we abandoned our cause.

I told her that was quick for her to identify that. For me, I say that when things are falling into place, it’s meant to be, I’m meant to be doing this, I’m meant to be pursuing this. However, I don’t think I’m as quick to identify when the universe is actually telling me NO. Sometimes, I bend over backwards to make things happen, going through millions of hoops because it has been set on my mind to be that way. From the simplest thing of getting the pair of Louboutins that had to involve calling a couple of department stores, and them calling a couple of their offices, I make sure I’ve done everything on my end to make it happen. Some may say, and by some I mean I, that this shows my perseverance. I’ve done some pretty ingenious things that have warranted a “good job” from my husband to make something happen like getting rebooked to an earlier flight to Rome when we got stuck in Philadelphia during a bad winter weather. However, there are times these little quests end up in disappointment. And when it does, the disappointment is such a blow because I had exerted too much effort on it already.

I guess my question is how do I let the stars do their thing to make things happen but yet be content in my heart that I persevered enough, that I did my part? At what point to I say the stars aren’t aligning for this to be worth it? This is what I’d like to learn because so much effort would be saved if I identify these moments sooner rather than later. When things come easy, I say it’s meant to be. But when challenges arise, I try to overcome, and pat myself on the back when I do. Perhaps it’s more like picking your battles type of thing. Perhaps I should be able to classify the importance of things better. When it comes to life’s goals and dreams, perseverance should never stop. Keep trying until the stars align. But, when it comes to what’s supposedly more mundane like a pair of shoes (though Loubis are always far from mundane), I should sense what the universe tells me and save myself the effort.

Hmmm. Now, practice.