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Knock Knock

I have some good memories with fortune cookies. Once, I had my high school advisor tell me to reread my fortune and add the words "in bed" at the end to make it more interesting (awkward indeed). I also had a fortune that read, "This is not your day". I had to laugh at that one. Then there's the fortune that's tucked in my wallet:

"Opportunity knocks on your door every day - answer it."

I like this one because it has the philosophical quality I expect in a fortune, yet the simplicity of tangible truth. Really? I get an opportunity every day? So there's the opportunity at life we all get when we wake up (which is indeed the BEST opportunity). But, if this fortune was about that, then it's not really my fortune. It's everybody's! So, I thought about it.  What are my opportunities? Sometimes we expect them to come in specific packages - a job offer, a man, free groceries (#gradschoolproblems). But this narrow vision can  have us overlook potential shortcuts to our next source of happiness. A phone call to a friend, a wave to a stranger, or that idea that tiptoes across your mind occassionally may be that small opportunity that leads to your next big thing - if you act on it. My opportunity came in a professor's email. Through his syllabus, I found out what books I needed and thought to see if the school library had them. It did, and I hurried over, checked them out and saved $40! Now I could have easily preoccupied myself with the stress of paying for books, closed the email and missed the embedded opportunity to save. Instead, I answered my knock.

Many of us are so busy, we don't even hear the knock, let alone answer it. Take a listen to what your world is trying to give you. Who or what is at your door? If you can't hear the knock, turn your busy life down some. If you can, show some manners! Open the door for opportunity and let it stay awhile.

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