I saw my mom’s husband and my son walking arm in arm the other day and it got me thinking about divine timing.
My third pregnancy was one of the biggest surprises of my life. Although we welcomed another baby with loving and open arms, the idea of a third child, at that time in our lives, was terrifying.
Little did we know how special that little boy was going to be. Besides being our fifth finger and completing our “hand,’ Ryan is the splitting image of my father. Not only does he look like him, he also resembles his joyful and charismatic personality.
My dad died when Ryan was only 2-years-old. My little guy barely got to meet his grandfather. And yet, the older Ryan got, the more he reminded us of him. In hindsight, Ryan feels like a divine gift the Universe sent me at the perfect time.
And then there’s Manuel, my mom’s husband.
When I tell people Manuel and my mom found each other at 70-years-old, they always seem so shocked. Doesn’t it sound incredulous to begin a meaningful relationship at that age?
But maybe it took a lifetime of marriages, divorces, children, grandchildren, pain and joy, successes and failures, for their relationship to make sense.
As I saw this tall, lean, old man with his shiny white hair walking alongside Ryan, it hit me he, too, is a gift sent to our family when we needed him.
Manuel and Ryan are reminders that just because you’ve lost someone you loved — doesn’t mean you’ve lost love for good.
We all have unique journeys to experience in our lifetimes, and the Universe sends us people to fulfill different roles, teach us different things, and often serve as little blessings along the way.
What if you took a step back and admired the people in your life from a distance? Could you appreciate them as divine gifts sent to you in perfect timing? Could you look back and recognize the purpose different people have played in your journey, no matter how small or brief?
Open your eyes and your heart to witness the people who have blessed your life and stay hopeful for the ones who will come when you least expect it.