“There’s a wonderful old Italian joke about a poor man who goes to church every day and prays before the statue of a great saint, begging, ‘Dear saint-please, please, please…give me the grace to win the lottery.’ This lament goes on for months. Finally the exasperated staue comes to life, looks down at the begging man and says in weary disgust, “My son-please, please, please…buy a ticket.”- Elizabeth Gilbert

There are quite a few times in my life where I have felt like I was in the right place at the right time. One instance I can remember was when I happened to be traveling from a mall that I hardly ever go to. I was on the bus on the way back home which was a very long ride when the bus stopped at a station where I could catch a train that would get me home sooner. That day, the train happened to be sitting there waiting as the bus pulled up. Something told me to take the train. I ran up the steps and entered the train. As I sat there, something told me to turn around. I did, but I didn’t think anything of it until someone called my name. It was a guy that I had worked with a few years earlier. He moved up and sat next to me. We talked for some time and he launched into a complaint about having to move from his apartment that weekend and how he had trouble finding people to help him. I had recently moved and I used a great moving company that was affordable and great with last-minute jobs. I shared the information with him. He thanked me profusely. Later, he told me that his move went smoothly and he was very appreciative. Coincidence?

I don’t believe in coincidence. I believe that I am in service of the Universe. I believe that it works through me and works through others to help me. In that instance, there was no reason for me to be at the mall that day or on that train. In fact, the friend said he happened to get off work early otherwise he wouldn’t have run into me. I believe that I was there in that moment to share that information with him. Could he have found a mover on his own? Yes, he probably could have, but maybe he asked the Universe for help with finding someone to help him move.

I’ve witnessed connections like this throughout my life. You probably have too. If you can connect the dots in your life, you may see that someone in your life came through with what you needed right when you needed it. Or, you came through for someone else right when they needed it. I believe we all work that way. Now, if I would’ve offered to give that information to my friend and he said, “no, it’s okay.I’ll find it myself.” He might have missed the help that he asked for.

Sometimes, we reject the very help that we ask for because it doesn’t come the way that we expect it to.  You could have a great need for money and you pray to win the lottery. You don’t win the lottery, but you get a raise at work or someone hands you money. Your blessing can come in a very different way than you expect. It can even come in ways that seem to be painful or negative. Sometimes, when something is removed from your life, it is to make room for something better. The next time you ask for something you need, look for evidence that the Universe is conspiring to bring it to you. It’s working through people for you.

Here’s another joke (parable) that illustrates this thinking:

“Once there was a man whose house was in a flood. He stood on the porch as the waters rose. A boat came by, the driver urged the man to get on board but the man said he was waiting on the God to save him. The waters rose, the first floor was flooded and as the man looked out his second story window, another boat came to rescue him. The man turned the boat away, saying he would wait for God to rescue him. Finally, he was clinging to the chimney on the roof. A helicopter flew overhead and dropped down a ladder. The man waved it off, saying God would save him. Finally he was swept away in the waters and drowned. At the pearly gates, he saw God and said, Lord, all my life I did as you asked but when the time came you did not save me. And God said, “I sent you two boats and a helicopter, what else did you want?”