“Every moment is a spiritual learning & awakening.”         

Life’s Unexpected Lessons

Every day brings surprises. Most are small and barely noticeable, but some arrive with enough force to completely disrupt our routine. Life has a way of doing that—shaking us when we least expect it. Today, I want to share one such moment from my life, an unexpected event that turned an ordinary day into a powerful lesson.

Wednesday, February 14th, 2018—Valentine’s Day—started like any other workday for me. I woke up at 6:30 a.m., meditated, and dropped my daughter Shivani off at college around 7:30 a.m. By 7:45 a.m., I was scheduled to meet Leo, a plumber, at my studio. He was coming to finish repairing my bathroom toilet, a task that had already stretched over two days.

Earlier that week, my toilet tank had developed a leak, and to make matters worse, I accidentally dropped the tank lid and shattered it. Leo and I went to Home Depot, bought a replacement, and began the installation. Unfortunately, the water pipe connected to the tank also needed to be replaced. This meant shutting off the building’s main water line—something we couldn’t do because my neighboring businesses, a restaurant and another salon, needed running water. After two failed attempts, we decided early Wednesday morning would be the perfect time, before the other businesses opened.

After dropping Shivani off, I reached the studio around 7:55 a.m. Leo called to say he was stuck in traffic. While waiting, I shut off the main water line. When he arrived, I asked how long the repair would take since I still had to open the studio. He estimated 30–40 minutes. Perfect. I was still in my night suit, but I happily settled down with my book—always grateful for unexpected reading time.

Leo soon realized he needed another part and left for Home Depot, just two minutes away. I continued reading, hopeful we’d finish before the neighboring businesses opened. Then my phone rang. It was the restaurant owner next door.

“Ruby, did you shut off the water?” she asked.
“Yes,” I replied.
“Can you please turn it back on? We’re preparing food for catering deliveries.”

I was surprised. I had assumed they wouldn’t be in yet. She asked if I could turn it on for just a few minutes so the cook could store water. Since Leo was gone anyway, I agreed.

I turned the main water line back on and informed the cook to store water quickly because I’d be shutting it off again soon. As I walked back toward my studio, I heard a strange noise. I didn’t think much of it—until I opened the door.

Water. Everywhere.

A thick stream of water was pouring out from my bathroom wall. My bathroom, kitchen, and storage area were flooded with nearly two inches of water. My heart sank. I ran to shut the water off again and rushed back to inform the restaurant staff. That’s when it hit me—Leo had left the pipe hole uncovered, assuming the water would remain off. In my attempt to help my neighbor, I had completely forgotten.

For a few moments, I stood frozen. My mind spiraled with “why,” “how,” and “what now?” Within minutes, my calm morning had turned into chaos. There was no drainage system like the ones back in India. I had no idea where to begin.

I grabbed a broom and started pushing water around aimlessly. The restaurant worker kindly helped me mop and squeeze water into buckets, but he had to leave shortly to continue his work. I was left alone—surrounded by water, soaked towels, and racing thoughts. I worried about my flooring, about money, about how one repair had led to another disaster.

Overwhelmed, I called my mom. The moment I started explaining, tears flowed. She offered to come help, but hearing her worry made me pull myself together. I reassured her and hung up.

I called Leo, explained the flooding, and asked him to return immediately. As I continued mopping, something shifted inside me. I reminded myself: things don’t happen to us, they happen for us. I asked God, What are you trying to teach me here?

Just moments ago, I had been relaxed and reading. Now, I was running around in panic. Isn’t that life? Unpredictable and erratic. One moment calm, the next moment chaos. But through my years of yoga, meditation, reading, and spiritual practice, I noticed something different—I wasn’t panicking the way I once would have. I was tired, yes, but composed.

Leo returned, shocked by the flooding. He went back to Home Depot—again—and brought a vacuum to remove the water. By now, it was 9:30 a.m., and I had already canceled several appointments. My hands ached from squeezing towels, and my thumb throbbed painfully. For a moment, my mind searched for someone to blame. Then I smiled at myself—Really, Ruby? This is not the moment.

Another neighbor, Nina, appeared at my door, clearly annoyed by the delay. I calmly apologized and explained the situation. Though she wasn’t happy, I reminded myself that everyone is fighting their own battles. Empathy goes both ways.

After nearly four exhausting hours of mopping, apologizing, waiting, and praying, Leo finally fixed the issue. By 11:30 a.m., a new toilet seat was installed, the leak was resolved, and the water was back on. I went door to door apologizing to my neighbors once again. Clients began arriving as I stood there—in my night suit—asking them to return later.

When I finally drove home, I reflected on the day. Life works exactly like this, doesn’t it? One unexpected moment can shake everything. We are never prepared for sudden jolts—but they are life’s way of training us. Just like going to the gym builds physical strength, these moments build inner strength.

By noon, I returned to the studio, checked the bathroom, and found everything dry and normal—as if nothing had happened. I stood there quietly, reflecting. The chaos had passed. The lesson remained.

Life constantly presents us with tests. Each situation carries an opportunity to grow stronger, wiser, and more mindful. It all depends on how we respond.

Gentle Reminders for Unexpected Situations:

  • Acknowledge and accept what has happened. Resistance only makes things harder.
  • When something is out of your control, anger and stress serve no purpose.
  • Negative emotions limit problem-solving, while positive emotions expand creativity.
  • Learn the difference between reacting and responding.
  • Practice mindfulness—just 5–10 minutes of meditation daily can transform how you handle challenges.
  • Question the inner voice creating panic. Is it helpful—or just noise?

When you cultivate calmness, inner strength, and emotional balance, external chaos loses its power over you.

Let’s practice being more responsive than reactive 😊

With love 💛