Gifts from the universe, manna from heaven, gifts from God. Call them what you will, but if you stop and pay attention they are everywhere. It can be as small as a message that arrives in your inbox right when you need to hear it, or as large your father surviving a very risky surgery. It can be as obvious as a box of Minnesota apples from an unknown friend arriving at your doorstep at the end of a very long and stressful week, or as hidden as a small salamander crossing your path when you’re running back inside because you forgot your lunchbox and wallet when you left your house that morning.

Because while I do believe that while the universe is always speaking to us and delivering these gifts, I also believe that you have to listen and pay attention to receive them. In fact, they often arrive at moments when you least expect it or think that you are in a terrible situation. For example, when I was headed to Minnesota to be with my dad for his surgery, in my stressed state I sat at the wrong gate for an hour and only when it was time to board the plane did I realize my mistake. Well the universe delivered after that. Four kind gentlemen took pity on me and helped me book another flight, and I thought to myself, there must be a reason that I missed that first flight. So I paid attention. While waiting for the next flight, I met an amazing man (http://www.timvandergrift.com) who upon his first taste of wine, quit his day job to make a career out of wine. Maybe someday we will collaborate together. Whether it’s true that all this was meant to happen or not really doesn’t matter. It sure made the next hour a lot more pleasant. And while in the past I may have beat myself up for my stupidity, now I just believe that it was a gift from the universe.