A Brief Example of How The Universe Helps Us Out (Even When Life Appears Frustrating!)
About 5 days ago I received a notification from the Department of Motor Vehicles that it was time to renew my registration, and (as occurs every 2 years) a smog test would be required. Being that I’m an empath who is largely nocturnal and had a father who killed himself with car exhaust…smog tests are an errand I have preferred to pay others to take care of for me.
The last time my car’s exhaust was tested, it came very close to the maximum limit for HC, which I assume stands for Hydrocarbon. I figured that if it was close to failing 2 years ago, I should probably do some preventative maintenance. So I started trying to find a car mechanic. A few months ago I’d met a neighbor who raved about his mechanic, but when I called the alleged automotive maestro, he was sick…and said he wouldn’t be available for ten days.
After that incident, I thought I had found another mechanic who seemed knowledgeable of how to fix my car’s exhaust system. He even offered to take my car to the smog testing facility for free. I had found my new mechanic, or so I thought. After our initial email exchange, he disappeared, and didn’t return my next email or phone call. I decided he wasn’t the one.
I then wondered if the mechanic approach wasn’t in flow because it was time to buy another car. I’ve had the same vehicle for 10 years, it has a few issues…and I can afford a newer, nicer vehicle. In my proceeding research I found a few articles about a new trend of dealers being willing to deliver cars and allowing negotiations over the phone. Being that dealerships are another place I like to avoid (due to a frequent “norm” of manipulation, game playing and drawn out negotiations) a delivery sounded great!
I looked up a Chrysler Sebring at Cars.com (I enjoy convertibles with 4 seats, as is my current car), and called the dealer the next day. The salesperson I talked to was very mellow…no pressure techniques. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, and it appeared they would deliver it that evening! I was sleep-deprived, and went back to bed. I later received a call from the salesperson’s father, who was a manager/owner or some such position of power. He said that they would not be able to deliver the vehicle, and that I would have to come in and get it. I had already told myself that if I couldn’t get a car delivered to me then I’d take that as a sign that it wasn’t meant to be. So I told him that the deal was off.
I wondered if there was a better deal awaiting me, or if this was a sign I should be humble and stick with the car I already have. I work from home, have groceries delivered, and buy most things at Amazon.com…so I don’t drive that often. The next day I found another Sebring via AutoTrader.com, and although it had more mileage, it was $2,000 less expensive than the first one. I interpreted the failure of my first attempted purchase to be the universe guiding me to a better deal. During the phone negotiations for Sebring #2, the salesperson would interrupt me often, and awkwardly kept calling me “Mr. Christopher” every other sentence, but assured me the Sebring could be delivered that night.
Once again, I needed more sleep, so I turned off my phone and closed my eyes, trying to clear my mind and tell myself everything was going to go smoothly. I later called the salesperson to see if everything was on track. He said all was well, but soon handed me to some manager who was very rude. This guy started to try to “shame me” about wanting a car delivered, and said something like, “We’re a dealership…it’s not like buying a car from Bill down the street.” As someone who has been in marketing for over 15 years I thought, “This guy knows nothing about making a sale, and probably should not be allowed to talk to people at work or in his personal life.” I told him that it sounded like things weren’t going to work out. I later heard from another manager that my initial salesperson had made an honest mistake, and that their parent company wouldn’t allow the delivery of used vehicles.
Being that this experience felt abrasive, and it was the second time in a row that I felt “set up for failure,” I decided it was time to examine the lack of flow with getting another vehicle. I realized that although buying a newer car might be fun for a while, I’ve come to learn that the “shine” of new things wears off pretty quickly these days. Despite my periodic attempts, I’m just not much of a materialist, and my past history with cars has been to keep driving them until they’re no longer functional. Since my business has been doing extremely well lately, there is a part of me that feels I should “reward myself” with a nicer car, and a bigger home. But all things considered, I’m pretty content as I am. In retrospect, I simply didn’t want to bother with getting my current car smog tested!
Yesterday afternoon, I called the smog testing place and asked if I’d have to pay for a second test if my car didn’t pass. He told me that I could actually get retested for free within 30 days if it failed. He also suggested that I drive the car for a few miles on the freeway before the test to lower the HC emissions.
In the evening, I asked my early-rising neighbor if I could pay her to take my car for an oil change and a smog test. She said she’d do it if she had the time, and I left her my keys and some cash. Today I arose in the late afternoon to find that she had taken it in, and it passed with no problems.
So, all of this time, the universe was helping me to realize that I didn’t need a mechanic to fix my car’s emissions…that I should just get it tested without paying for any unnecessary preemptive work. It made sense to me that I should focus on contentment with what is, as I’ve recently had similar lessons with my old secondary laptop, and my somewhat worn Jacuzzi cover. I wanted to replace each of them, but the “flow” wasn’t there, so I ended up fixing the laptop, and letting the cover be as it is.
It was, admittedly, a little exciting to temporarily envision a new vehicle…and it’s always possible that I’ll be guided to one in the days or months ahead. Ultimately, I know what’s most important to me: my relationship with my mind, and my relationships with others. These are the core aspects of what brings peace and joy into my life…and unnecessary material acquisitions won’t provide me with what I truly want.
Peace,
Chris (aka “Mr. Christopher”)
Check out Chris’s (pen name, Mystic Life’s) book Spiritual Polyamory
Intuitive Guidance — Ethical Sites at LiveReaders.com
