Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans

Sometimes we go through life looking for something - and in our search other things that we weren't thinking about - but did want or need - materialise. An example: six years ago I was at a conference where I started talking to a woman - largely on the grounds that she was the most attractive, approachable and hippy type there (and I was looking for a lover at that time) we exchanged cards and e mails and her organisation is now one of my major and regular contractors.
These past few months and weeks that situation has repeated itself more than a few times- a visit to London to sort out some family business was pleasantly interrupted by an ex inquiring about my availability and interest for a supper date :-). This week an evening at sports club bought another potential new client and a visit to a therapist today bought news about a potentially very interesting future housing opportunity.
Next week there will be three days of overnight roadworks outside my house. Yesterday I got a random invitation to go and visit some friends on the other side of the NL. In short- we don't control this stuff.

This August I was at a Buddhist training weekend at Baarlo (yeah the photos are long overdue but I still haven't learnt how to upload them using bluetooth technology). I learnt something there - that I focus on the flowers and the fruits (you know -great lover, no debt, caring employers / contractors, blah blah). But when I focus on those things I miss the point about why I am alive. It's not so I can live a comfortable and easy life, with no problems. Because when the sun is shinng, there's money in the bank and a pretty woman in my bed it's all too easy to sit back and say life is good. But actually life is about planting seeds, about being a competent, confident and caring person who can make a difference in my community and in the world. It's not about how much money, pussy or kudos, I have- its about what I can give. Because that side of life is something that no-one can take away. My savings can dissapear into an Icelandic volcano - my lover can run off with Richard Gere - I can't control these things - so why spend time worrying about them?
In this sense it doesn't matter if you are a high flying banker or an impoverished Bangladeshi fisherwoman. The only thing of value we can do in the world is to give to it and make it a better place -not take from it. My father's hoarding habits have shown me how empty that path is -but that story is for another day.