I’d heard people talk about how awesome this particular movie was. I couldn’t wait to see it! It had action, effects, drama, the whole works. On the way to the theater, I got stuck in traffic that slowed me down. But after parking a mile away, I rushed to the ticket counter, down the hallway to the theater and sat down, glad to see credits still rolling. I had only missed a few minutes of the beginning of the movie. I was surprised at a few of the credited actors, as I hadn’t heard they were in it. Cool! As the movie began to unwind, I was a little surprised at the year and place in which the action was set. But okay–surely there would be a LOT of story between now and what I’d imagined. But it started to feel like going to see an old Spaghetti Western, only to see it start out in outer space, exploring for minerals on Mars. Nevertheless, I vowed to seeing how this would all tie together. After a few head scratchers and scrunched eyebrows, I started to doubt the director’s ability to get us form “here” to “there.” I was also considering a few retaliatory conversations with some select folks who had clearly misinformed me about the quality of this movie. Then it happened. A completely obvious scene made my stomach turn and my blood pressure rise. (Although my head was feeling a bit better now.)
I was at the wrong movie!
In my haste to reach my seat, I had entered the wrong theater and was mentally trying to picture Clint Eastwood and his six shooter wearing a space suit digging for minerals on Mars. UGH! But you know what? Once I stopped trying to force the movie to be something it clearly was not, I rather enjoyed it. I did eventually go see the RIGHT movie, and it was everything people were saying. But I enjoyed this one as well.
What about you? Has there been any point in your life when you thought you had everything planned out, then at some unforeseen moment you asked yourself, “Am I in the right theater?” You had a nice tidy script all written for yourself, only to realize at some point that this was NOT what you had planned. The people are wrong, the plot is WAY off, and even the music is a misfit. How did this happen? At what point did I get off track? It’s not always that you are in a worse place, or being forced to live a life you didn’t plan…but this surely wasn’t you had imagined.
This reminds me of a crazy phenomenon that used to happen in cars before they got all computerized. Transmissions had a main gear that kept your engine synchronized so it would keep running smoothly and efficiently. It had a chain on it connected between two gears with metal cogs. It was called the “timing chain.” It so happens that every now and then, some cars would “jump timing”–which means the chain would advance or hop a cog. Suddenly, everything started running out of whack. How is this possible, you would ask? After all, it was tightly attached to the two gears and yet, somehow, without logic or explanation, the motor would “jump time”.
This is almost as unpredictable and freaky as what happens to us sometimes. It defies logic or comprehension, and yet…sometimes..our “chain” jumps. Although this could be a massively stressful time on your life, it’s no reason to panic. Sometimes this happens to us more than it may seem to happen to others–but there’s no benefit in comparing yourself to them anyway. You’d think this is common among thrill-seekers, risk takers, and overly-aggressive entrepreneurs right? They may have their chain jump more than once. After all, it doesn’t take an incredible risky plan–only a wrench being thrown into it.
So what if you aren’t where you thought you might be? It’s doesn’t always represent failure. Life has a way of tossing in interesting changes and unexpected deviations. Often times, our plans are based on ideal circumstances, and “ideal” is not usually a term that fits our lives. Hoped for – Wished – Imagined are all terms that might lie closer to what we think in advance, but don’t represent the outcome.
That’s why it’s not bad to started out with a different plan than what actually unfolds. “Hope for the best, but plan for the worst” is usually a solid mind set, neither negative or overly zealous.
So don’t panic and stress out when you realize the movie you’re watching may be very different from the one you had planned to live. With time comes experience, wisdom and a better understanding of many things. Just because you’re watching a different movie doesn’t mean it’s the “wrong” movie or that you have done something to mess up your life. Have a script, make plans, set goals, but also realize there is much to life that is unforeseen and unexpected. There’s nothing wrong with the projector, the script or your popcorn – it’s your new movie. So relax and enjoy it!