A bug in your bun
Life lessons come out of left field more often than not. It helps to see them for what they are and learn from the experience. Because one thing is for sure: They'll keep coming back at you until you get them right.
Take the day I ignored that little voice in my head. At the time, we lived in a small lake cottage with many tall trees surrounding it, including an old pine near the back patio. Its cones would regularly drop onto our roof, then steamroll down to join the piles already gathering on the ground. I'd pick them up for kindling in the fire pit every few days.
One day, I was collecting cones near the base of the pine. On an impulse, I abruptly stood up and felt a sharp poke. A lower tree branch had impaled my hair bun. I stopped and slowly walked away from the tree so the branch would slide out.
I remember thinking that there may have been a bug on that branch, and if so, it would likely have scraped off into my hair. For whatever reason, though, I shrugged off the feeling and went back to retrieving grounded pine cones.
That night, I showered but left my hair in its bun. It was late, and I didn't want to get it wet. Plus, it had been recently washed, and the following day, I was traveling to Des Moines to see my favorite hair stylist, Katie Jo, for a shampoo and cut.
I crawled into bed but later woke to a tingling sensation on my scalp. Maybe I was tired or did not want to give credence to nighttime catastrophic thinking. Either way, I ignored the tap, tap, tap of yet another sign (this time a physical one), trying to get my attention.
I was excited to see Katie Jo the next day. "So, how's the style working for you?" she asked while loosening my hair tie and combing it out.
“Oh my god, there's a bug on your scalp!" she exclaimed.
She then presented a flattish brown beetle standing frozen on her comb.
Holy crap! There had been a bug in my bun! My intuition had been spot on. And it had given me ample signs that I chose to ignore.
The lessons were as multilayered as my new shag cut. The Universe always guides us, but it's up to us to listen and follow its nudges. Sometimes, you need to shine light into the dark places to discover what you've inadvertently picked up—like an unwelcome hitchhiker making itself at home. Ignoring what's hanging out in your shadows will disrupt your peace (and sleep) until you take steps to acknowledge and release it. Sometimes, it takes a friend to show us what we can't or won't see. And finally, don't blame the bugs—they're just doing what bugs do.
Our lessons are always about us. Consider:
What sort of bugs are in your bun?
Are there signs you are ignoring?
Is there something you sense but are afraid to look at?
What's hiding in your inner shadows, waiting to be acknowledged and released?
When have you shrugged off your intuition when it could have saved you discomfort?
