Life and Timing: Trusting the Unfolding
There’s an old saying that life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans. It’s one of those clichés that feels more true the older you get. We like to believe we have control over every twist and turn in our lives, meticulously planning our future, setting timelines, and defining goals. But as much as we try to control things, life has a way of reminding us that its timing—unpredictable and unruly—isn’t something we can dictate. It moves on its own schedule, often catching us off guard, sometimes in delightful ways, other times with hard lessons.
I’ve lived through enough unexpected moments to know that there’s magic in letting go. When we stop pushing, stop trying to manipulate the outcome, that’s when the beauty of life starts to unfold. Sometimes, the very opportunities we’ve been chasing for so long suddenly fall into our laps when we least expect them. The relationship we’ve been searching for shows up just as we learn to love ourselves fully. And that change we’ve been avoiding, or maybe even fearing, becomes the catalyst that frees us and opens doors we didn’t even know existed.
It’s easy to get frustrated when life doesn’t move according to our timeline. We think delays are setbacks, or worse, signs that what we want isn’t meant to be. But I’ve come to realize that life’s timing, while imperfect to us, may be perfect in ways we can’t yet see. What feels like a detour might be leading us to something even better than what we originally planned. What seems like an ending could be the beginning of a new, unimagined chapter. Timing, in its own mysterious way, often knows what we need before we do.
Surrendering to this kind of trust isn’t easy, especially in a world that glorifies hustle, grind, and control. But there’s a certain peace that comes with accepting that life will happen in its own time. The pressure lifts when you realize that not every moment has to be managed, not every goal has to be achieved on a set timeline. When we allow ourselves to embrace the uncertainty, we leave space for the unexpected, for the serendipity that makes life interesting.
So, here’s to trusting the process. Here’s to letting go of our rigid plans and opening ourselves to what life has in store, even when it’s not on our schedule. Some of the best moments we’ll ever experience happen not when we demand them, but when we make room to receive them. Life’s timing may not be ours, but maybe that’s exactly what makes it so perfect.