They can be as subtle as a whisper or as blatant as a slap in the face. They can be spelled out on the news or suggested in the clouds. They're in the stories that we read and in the songs that we hear.
Some say it's all just coincidence, but I believe that signs are real. They're out there and waiting to be read by anyone with an open mind and an open heart.
We just need to make sure we're paying enough attention to notice them.
I've seen many signs in my life. Some were small, some were life changing.
And some were both, like the sign I saw towards the end of my first marriage.
For a long time it had been clear to us that we were going to separate. It was coming as surely as the tide.
In one last ditch effort, my husband suggested we take a Caribbean vacation to see if there was anything left to save. Having a hard time dealing with the apparent end of our marriage, I agreed to take the trip.
For a week we relaxed and tried to reconnect. To my surprise I actually started to enjoy his company again. Sitting next to him on the beach, staring out at the glistening water, a long-dormant optimism began to bloom inside of me.
But no amount of paradise could silence the nagging questions swirling through my mind.
Could I really make this marriage work? Could I really be happy? Was this warm feeling the rekindling of passion, or just the Caribbean sun on my skin?
However, in the end it was my optimism that won, and as I boarded the plane I actually thought to myself, Yes. I can make this work.
An hour into the flight I decided to watch the in-plane movie, Serendipity, starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. I love John Cusack, of course, so I was thrilled that the movie was available.
I couldn't have known that I was about to see so much more than just a feel-good romantic comedy. I was about to see a sign.
As the plot unfolded, something incredible happened. I felt like the movie was talking to me directly. In the flick, John Cusack realizes he needs to make the difficult choice to leave his fiancé, because he knows his true love is out there and that he shouldn't settle.
It was just the slap in the face I needed.
As the movie ended, I couldn't control my tears. I knew in that moment, without a doubt, that my marriage was over. It was a tough message to hear, but it's what forced me to realize that in order to be truly happy, I needed to make an extremely difficult decision. I needed to end my marriage.
A few weeks later, I did just that.
Flash forward: Much like John Cusack, I ended up finding my true love, and we've been happily married for over 11 years. My husband says that Serendipity is one of his favourite movies, if only for the reason that he wouldn't have met me without it. He can be very charming.
Recently, another movie gave me a sign.
During my journey to figure out how I was going to make a bigger difference in life, I noticed that one of my favorite movies was playing on TV: Field of Dreams with Kevin Costner. The film's iconic line, "If you build it, he will come," resonated deeply with me that day. It actually gave me goosebumps!
For days I couldn't get the line out of my head. One morning while brushing my teeth, the line suddenly morphed into, "If you build it, they will come." It stopped me dead in my tracks. I stared at myself, wide-eyed in the bathroom mirror. This was a sign.
And right then, the idea for Positive People Army struck me.
Now it's a month later. The site is built and they (you) are coming! The Positive People Army is growing and it's making a difference!
I opened my mind and heart, and the signs were revealed to me.
Have you ever seen a sign? Tell me about it! Send me your story about a sign that changed the direction of your life to positivepeoplearmy@gmail.com
Check out www.positivepeoplearmy.com for more stories.
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