When the Curveball Becomes the Gift

I sat down tonight to write, I didn’t really know what about. So I flipped randomly through a journal to an entry dated January 15, 2024.

I wasn't looking for a particular topic, but the page I found was a perfect, ironic snapshot of the two competing energies in my life at that moment: the persistent, forward-looking self, and the quiet, observing self. Tucked right on that page were these words about my dog, Axel:

That fact that Axel had been teaching me lessons was something I was always very aware of. What I didn’t know at the time of that journal entry was that I hadn’t fully absorbed his lessons yet.

Life was about to throw a curveball that would force me to live out that quiet lesson. My injury arrived in August 2024, halting my momentum entirely.

I had been trying to slow down for Axel, knowing our time was growing short. He never cared about pace; he only wanted to meander and sniff things with absolutely zero sense of urgency. Frankly, that lack of speed tested my patience some days.

Then, the injury forced the ultimate alignment. I traded my structured pace for daily walk and sniff sessions. The universe served me up the patience I needed by making a slow pace mandatory. My injury became the necessary catalyst that ensured I fully relished his final several months. We walked slowly, sniffed, and noticed the world around us, together.

It’s funny how life works like that. We often assume our biggest growth happens when we achieve a massive goal. But sometimes, the most profound shift happens when we are physically forced into the space we were already aspiring to reach.

My setbacks weren't just obstacles; they were the final push needed to receive the lesson. The striving mind needed the stillness to truly appreciate the mundane beauty, the joy embedded in the daily rhythm. Had I not been forced to slow down by my body, I might have taken those final months for granted, rushing through the very moments Axel was gifting me.

Even now, five months after his passing, I am still learning from him. What a blessing animals are, we are simply not worthy of them sometimes.

If you are facing a detour right now, a challenge that has derailed your plans, look closer. That curveball isn't just blocking your old path; it might be redirecting you to the deepest, most necessary growth you needed all along. Hang in there, I promise the lesson will reveal itself in time.

From my heart to yours,

Keli💚