Valentine Dinner with AAA

"Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle, some things are within your control and some things are not."  ~ Epictetus

Where did we begin to think that everything that happens to us is our fault?  I think it may be with a misguided translation of the scriptures.  If you think every physical occurrence is my fault then we birth the seeds of shame and guilt.  These two emotions can steal more time and kill your dreams quicker than any outside force.

I do subscribe to the thoughts that when it applies to human relationships one with another, we take responsibility for our part in them good or bad, but when it comes to accidents, sickness, deformities, mental illnesses, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, wild winds, or a Jamaica triangle, in and of itself, we have no control. No "sin" or fault of our own caused any of these. To think otherwise is to be fully caught up in my ego.

Last night was such an occurrence.  We had spent the day at a ski resort.  At the end of the day we had a romantic Valentine dinner to attend in Williamstown, MA. just down the road.  On a dark back road a wheel flew off our car leaving us stuck on the side of the road.  Thankfully we called triple A and a tow truck was sent and gave us a tow to our house.  We had nothing to do with this.  The car was up to inspection and we were driving safely.

So the incident became one of being in the present moment happy to be safe, warm, and with each other while we waited for the truck.  We talked of Byron Katie and the Stoics that teach "Everything is fine as it is, we need only accept and be in control of our mind."  Learning how to do this is hard sometimes and easy other times if we seek to practice this daily, and we do.

So we dreamed of our future business plans and where we want to travel.  We find that the more flexible we are with the outcome of our daily lives, the easier it is to think good thoughts.  It is when we get stuck wanting to control every physical outside occurrence is where the stress and anger comes into our mind. We returned home safe that night. Dinner would have to wait to another day.

Later that same night I went to work in my new car.  Once there my car died. So I could not work.  I waited 4 hours for another tow truck to come tow my car back to the dealership.  I was cold, tired, and coming down with a head cold.  I bundled up with a blanket I had in my car, pushed my car off the road, and tried to rest.  Radio and heater did not work battery dead.

As I sat there cold, I begin to think how I could never imagine having to be towed two days in a row? We have not needed a tow truck in years, now we needed one back to back.  I was so thankful for AAA plus.  I was so thankful for being in the USA, safe, knowing I have family and friends waiting for me.

Soon I could only think of Byron Katie and how thankful I am for her teachings of the work she does and the internet to see her teach live.  We live in an age where there are many mentors alive today to help us.  Every generation of people on earth have person(s) that are fully awake and ready to share what they discovered and how to get there if we only look. Thankful to the stoics, thankful for the present living teachers... Thankful, always thankful.