Recently, I was out of town for the weekend with some girlfriends. Before I left, I had scheduled a 11:00 am Saturday morning call with a medium recommended by someone I know.

I’m intrigued by the possibility that someone could actually communicate with the other side. I’m also a bit of a skeptic.

But she came highly recommended, so I thought, What the heck. Sounds like fun.

Saturday morning was the best available time, so I took it.

Because I was out of my normal routine, I knew I’d need some backup to make sure I didn’t forget.

So I put Post-it notes around the house. I set an alarm on my phone. I told everyone about the appointment. A couple of friends even wanted to sit in the room while I did it.

I was covered.

Famous last words.

Saturday morning, I remembered the call. My girlfriends and I talked about how it was coming up. I led a deep-water running class at 9. We sat by the pool for a while. Then, at some point, I suggested we head to the local farmstand to get what we needed for BLTs and the corn for dinner.

And then we left.

Without my phone.

We went to the farmstand. We stopped for coffee. We came back.

And at about 2:00 that afternoon, it hit me.

My call.

I had completely forgotten.

Not only had I forgotten the appointment, I’d forgotten my phone. No reminder alarm.

I don’t go anywhere without my phone.

WTF?!

I was so disappointed. I’d been really looking forward to this conversation.

I emailed the medium right away, explained what happened, and she graciously offered to reschedule but I would have to pay for another session.

I understood her policy. This is how she makes her living, and her time is valuable. I opted out of rescheduling from a place of peace with my error and her position.

But I was still incredibly frustrated with myself.  How had I forgotten?

It felt like something had blocked the appointment from my memory and somehow cloaked my phone so I didn’t see it, hear it, or even think about it … for hours!

And then I got curious.

Maybe it was less about HOW I had forgotten but WHY?

It was when one of my friends asked, “What were you going to talk to her about?” that had me wondering if there was a deeper message or lesson for me from this event?

I had two big questions I was going to focus on with the medium.

One was about my business.

The other was about my health. I’d gotten off track with my eating, gained some weight, and was struggling to figure out how to get myself back on track.

And as I sat with those questions, something unexpected happened … I had a spark of insight.

I realized that even if I never figure out how to lose weight and keep it off, the miracle I experienced 32 years ago when I quit drinking and drugs for good was enough.

More than enough.

Because if that miracle had never happened, I probably wouldn’t have been driving to a farmstand that Saturday.

I wouldn’t have been leading a deep-water running class.

I wouldn’t have been sitting around drinking coffee and laughing with girlfriends.

I might not even be alive.

Suddenly, the medium session I never got to have felt like a pretty good trade.

I didn’t get the answers I thought I needed.

I got something better.

I was reminded of the miracle of the life I already have.

Maybe that’s the reminder we can all bring to our careers.

When you feel blocked or stalled what else might be going on?

Can that curveball that your career has thrown you actually be the opportunity to experience or be reminded of a miracle?

Ask yourself:

What “miracle” is already present in your work or life that you might be too busy or distracted by farmstands to notice?

I would love to hear about an unexpected miracle you recognized that came out of` a setback or disappointment. Message or email me.

Expect your miracle!