Signs, they are everywhere. Turn left, Turn right,Welcome to Here, Exit, Entrance. Everywhere helping us along.
But what about deeper more meaningful signs? Do you believe in signs? Do you look for signs in your life, to help you along?
One of my favorite podcast episodes is Meditative Story with Angela Ahrendts. Angela talks of how she creates her own sanctuary during tricky times, times when she just needed space to reconnect and consider her next big decision.
Angela describes a morning routine in Indiana when she was facing big decisions. She talks of looking for signs. “I open myself to receive guidance, to receive help”. She talks of the pressure to find an answer, to know what to do next. And then comes a storm. And out of the corner of her eye she spots a lone bald eagle.
She stares at the eagle diving and swooping in the wind. And she is overcome with confidence and clarity. ”The eagle is my my sign in the storm. I am supposed to fly”.
Inspired by this beautiful tale it got me thinking about signs.
Just before my first book came out, I was struggling for work and confidence was low. I headed to London for a ‘building a business workshop’. At lunchtime, due to my crippling anxiety about talking to strangers, I’d gone for a walk. On one of the buildings I saw a huge graffiti billboard saying ‘Signs’. I decide to take it as a sign itself. ‘Ok, something great is coming, let’s look for more signs’.
That afternoon I got on the train and headed home. The train was empty having missed rush hour, it was now only keen commuters and those who had after work drinks. Opposite me was a guy with a huge duffle coat with faux fur collar. He had the best headphones on while watching his iPad. He had an air on authority, confidence, something.
At Horsham the train jolted as it divided into two. It’s always a moment of anticipation hoping you’ve sat in the right part of the train.
Off we set. ‘Welcome to the 7.40pm to Portsmouth calling at…’ and the conductor reads out the stations we will be calling at. The man looks up, he lowers the headphones to his neck. ‘Excuse me, is this going to Bognor?’ he asks me in a gentle American accent. ‘Ah no, the train divides, this is going to Portsmouth’ I deliver the bad news.
‘Oh wow. Oh dear. Can I change trains?’ We have a look on the Trainline app. Looks like you might have to go to Portsmouth and get a train back to Horsham and then Bognor.
‘Oh wow’ he says ‘I’ve got a gig at Bognor’ I got to be there. ‘Ah Butlins? oh’.
I text my husband. How do you fancy a trip to Bognor tonight? I’m sitting with a DJ who needs to be there but missed the connection. In a typical my-husband-style he text back ‘OK’.
After offering him a lift, reassuring him it was just 30 mins drive from my station, and we had no plans anyway, he agreed to the lift.
As we get off the train a few things cross my mind. The guy is very tall!
I hope my husband has brought my Audi and not his Mini.
And I don’t know his name.
‘I’m sorry I should say I’m Eleanor’
‘Oh yes, good point, I’m Marshall, nice to meet you Elonor’ he laughs.
Oh shit, I suddenly realise who he is. I’ve just offered Marshall Jefferson, House music legend, a lift to Butlins.
And of course my husband has brought his Mini.
I piled in the back next to my 3 year old daughter who is passive aggressively watching Ben and Holly and not very interested in the noise interuption now going on in the car.
Marshall gets in the front and off we set.
And it’s the best 45 minutes (because it’s a bit longer than 30 minutes to Butlins it turns out!). He tells us all about how he got into Djing, and what he is doing now.
We pull up to Butlins in our cosy mini and my husband puts down the window to security at the barriers and says ’I’m dropping off Marshall’. The lady looks a bit bemused but gives Marshall and envelope and lets us through. It’s Ibiza Legends Weekender - people are Up for it everywhere. We drop Marshall off, say good luck, he offers to put us on the guest list if we want to come back at 2am when he is on.
As we drive back home my husband says ‘so, that just happened’.
‘It was a sign’ I say. It was a big massive sign saying ‘It’s all going to be ok’.
It was two weeks later I got a big piece of work and suddenly business picked up. Whether it was a sign, a shift in energy, a moment that just makes you laugh and roll your eyes, a moment when you are bigger than your own problems and offer kindness to someone else and it turns into a great tale. It doesn’t really matter so much.
What matters is keeping yourself in a space to open up to possibility.
Signs are probably all around us, but we have to want to see them.
eleanor
Do you see Signs?
Great post! And not just about signs. Also about kindness, willingness to put yourself out and asking for help.
Wow! Did you go back at 2am??