Sometimes a Moment of Fun Can Outperform a Month’s Worth of Effort

When you seriously want something, it’s hard not to take it too seriously. We’ve all had that feeling of falling short of a desire. Kicking ourselves for not having done more when we had the chance. And that memory can often lead us to traveling down difficult paths in the name of giving our desires all we’ve got.

I experienced this last summer in my search for a new place to live. Weeks of looking. Striving to fit in. Nothing panning out. The slow descent from unfettered optimism to “I hope I don’t have to live in Airbnb’s all summer.”

So I let go of what I thought I wanted and started responding to any Craigslist ad that felt close.

Then I stumbled across something unexpected. An ad that didn’t simply list out what was for rent, but told a fantastical story of the amazing people who lived there.

Caleb is a kind, generous, thoroughly dope human being who enjoys slinging cocktails, playing Magic: The Gathering and getting into some shenanigan or another.

Beth is a mythical creature found in the ether worlds of the driftless region. She is a beaming light of sunny disposition and will miraculously pull you out of any shit mood you’re in.

Peggy is a woman of wilderness and doesn’t quite know how to go about describing her Self — one of which she attempts to plunge into the depths of on a weekly basis. She is always down to sing with you, play guitar with you, or embark on any other kind of musical endeavor.

We all enjoy sitting on the sunny front stoop on a Saturday/Sunday morning; drinking hot, stimulating beverages, cracking jokes and relishing in sweet moments together.

What is important to us: to create a comfortable, nourishing, cooperative living environment that lends itself to the dreams of its inhabitants.

Located on Gorham St…

I immediately lit up upon reading this! My response had to be more than a simple copy/paste of my pre-written response that I’d sent to all the other ads. I needed to enter this magical kingdom laid out before me and see how far this journey would take me.

Greetings Castle Gorham Street

I am but a tall, jovial gentlemen with a quick wit and sassy sense of humor. Should it please you, I would like to imbue your household with my presence for what future historians will no doubt refer to as, “the summer of comfortable, nourishing, cooperative living that made all of their dreams come true, until one run-on sentence seemingly unraveled all their progress…”

Someone once told me that a relationship exists not in a vacuum, but in the minds of each person that forms it. I have therefore consulted my most skilled soothsayers to foretell what this summer may hold for each of you.

Caleb will enjoy taking advantage of my novice Magic: The Gathering skills, as our ongoing strategy sessions soon boil over into plots to engulf the house in boisterous tomfoolery.

Beth will find a kindred spirit, fluent in the subtle language of non-physical energy, always willing to travel into the unknown. And should our travels take us into darkness, I’ll be there with my Care Bear Stare, ready to back up her boundless brightness.

Peggy is a woman of the wilderness, unimpressed by the modern man no matter how the gods have blessed him. I shall not try to win her favor through tales of my greatness, but instead retreat inward to a place of primitive purity. Here the music that we’ll make together will be that of wolves howling at the moon, and wind whistling through the brush. Our vocal cords will resonate with the harmony of all creation, as her guitar fills the room with vibrations that echo off into eternity. I cannot say that Peggy will find herself this summer, but perhaps I will find a piece of myself through Peggy…

I felt completely alive while writing this, and afterwards could hardly contain my smile.

Their response was simple and to the point.

Yes!

When can you come over to check out the house?

Have we met you before?

I think you have won our hearts.

The rest of the night I felt this incredible “in love” feeling. My heart chakra was wide open and my whole chest felt lit up like a Christmas tree. Like my body already knew the love and joy that was waiting for me down this path.

It felt like my long search was over. Weeks of efforting to get into a cooperative house, or find any decent sublet, had been surpassed with the joyous penning of a single email.

I met everyone for the first time a week later, and was amazed by how quickly we gained something simply from being in each other’s presence. It was like we already had gifts waiting for each other, and all we had to do to exchange them was meet. I loved every moment of who I was being while around them.

I moved in the next day (on my birthday of all days). And I couldn’t help but marvel at how quickly the Universe can orchestrate things once you find that pure alignment. It really makes me wonder why I ever say yes to trying to get things done through action; when a universe of help is at that ready, simply waiting for you to let it in.

Nine Months Later

Nine months later I'm still in love with this city, this house, and all the new friends I've made. I feel like I've grown into a completely different person over this time, using my new environment to try on new versions of myself and discover who I am independent of my old habits of living.

That single moment of fun has expanded into months of personal growth and new beginnings, and I can't help but think how much happier I am here than I would've been if my original efforts to live in a 20+ person cooperative house would've succeeded. I remember trying so hard to fit in at both the places I tried for, and how it felt anything but natural.

Luckily, life intervened and guided me to exactly where I wanted to be. And this experience has only strengthened my belief that things are always working out for me, and that the best things in life come only when you're ready for them.

If you have any stories of magical synchronicities outperforming weeks or months of effort, I'd love to hear them in the comments!

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