I’m one who likes to plan things. I used to be very much that way. I’m less so now. It’s not that I don’t want to plan ahead; it’s simply that I recognize it to be a somewhat futile effort.

There is an old saying that if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. I think that was first written by someone who feels much as I do. Lately I have had a number of incidents that reinforce those feelings. My most well laid plans have been totally shattered by unforeseen circumstances—mechanical failures, oversights in making necessary communications, people facing conflicting responsibilities, etc. That can lead to situations that are very frustrating.

There is another saying to the effect that a person is never given more stress than he or she can handle. That philosophy gives some hope to the situation and, fortunately, I believe I’ve come to a point at which I am not overly disturbed by shattered plans. Actually I don’t really call them plans any more. They are more like intentions. If what I intend happens—fine. If it doesn’t—that’s OK, too. There is another saying/philosophy to the effect that the universe works things out in a manner that is best for everyone concerned. That particular one offers a lot of hope though it may not offer the best of experiences. I guess it might be summed up as “Go with the flow.” There’s a lot of value in that. First of all, things usually work out satisfactorily despite the shattered plans and in the meantime not getting agitated over their being shattered makes for a much more tranquil existence.

So much for that. Now, I’m going to set about making my list of intentions for this coming week.