The 7 Minute Detour
There were a few minutes before a meeting—about seven, to be exact. I should have known better. I should have trusted my gut, which told me to stay put. Or should I?
I decided I could squeeze in a quick errand. I jumped into the Jeep and drove to the store, convincing myself there was plenty of time.
When I got there, they didn’t have what I wanted. But they had something similar. That should have been the first sign. Right?
I compromised and grabbed the next best thing. As I went to pay, the employee said, “Sorry, the card reader’s not working.” That should have been the second sign.
She pointed me to the ATM, where a couple in front of me was struggling with their card. That should have been the third sign.
But I kept going. Got the cash. Paid for the item. Walked out.
On the way back to the car, a penny caught my eye—heads up, shining on the pavement. I bent down, picked it up, and slipped it into my pocket. For some reason, I smiled.
As I sat in the car, I thought about those earlier moments. Were those signs telling me not to go? Or were they reminders to slow down and notice what’s good, even when things don’t go according to plan?
Maybe both.
Sometimes life whispers, “Trust your gut.” Other times, it says, “Keep going.” The difference lies in how closely we’re paying attention.
That penny became a small wink from the universe—a reminder that even detours can hold meaning if we’re present enough to notice.
There’s a reason we feel those nudges in our gut. The vagus nerve connects our brain to our body, sending signals that guide intuition long before logic catches up. It’s the body’s way of saying, “Something matters here.” When we ignore it, we often end up frustrated or frazzled. But when we pause and pay attention, we open a door to awareness—and awareness is the birthplace of kindness.
Kindness starts with noticing. It’s paying attention to the moment, the feeling, the sign, the penny on the ground. It’s learning to trust that even small interruptions might be invitations to slow down, to breathe, and to see differently.
The truth is, we’re all being guided—by instinct, by insight, by gentle reminders that what we need most often isn’t what we set out to find.
5 Ways to Be the Light
Pause and listen. Before reacting or rushing, take a breath. Your body often knows before your brain does.
Trust your intuition. The gut-brain connection is real. Notice when something feels off or when you feel pulled toward a quiet yes.
Find the meaning. Even detours can carry wisdom. Ask, “What might this moment be showing me?”
Stay curious. Instead of labeling something as “good” or “bad,” approach it as a teacher. Every moment has something to offer.
Look for the wink. Whether it’s a penny, a kind word, or a small coincidence, notice when life smiles back at you.
Being the Light doesn’t mean everything goes smoothly. It means learning to see light in the detours, to trust the pauses, and to find meaning in the mess. Sometimes the signs are caution lights, and sometimes they’re affirmations—but they’re always invitations to stay awake to the good.
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