How many times have you had a bad day when everything non dual teacher to go wrong at the worst possible moment? You failed to achieve most of your goals and felt that the universe was against you.
Perhaps, the universe was to blame or perhaps you were to blame because you expected things to go wrong. We might be able to avoid such debacles by expecting miracles instead. In case anyone is wondering, one dictionary defines a ‘debacle’ as a ‘total and often ludicrous failure.’ ‘Miracle’ in this article simply means ‘something wonderful’.
On Wednesday 23rd January 2008, my first goal of the day was to change the fluorescent tube light which is high on the ceiling over my desk. I expected the following might go wrong:
The small step ladder might break under my weight as I used it to climb on to my desk just as the attic ladder had collapsed under me a few months ago. I might even get my foot trapped within the ladder like a neighbour whose foot was nearly amputated by her own metal ladder. She retained her foot by holding it in place until help arrived but has had endless problems and pain for years as a result of this one unfortunate accident.
If the ladder did not collapse, I thought the desk might collapse if I had to put all my weight on it. My computer would then hit the floor with major damage and so would my monitor not to mention the phone and everything else on my desk. I would also hurtle to the floor breaking several bones and ending up in agony and even a state of paralysis for life!
Even if the desk did not collapse, I might not be able to fit the light tube into the holes at each end of the light fitting and, even if I did, the light might not work and/or the electric fitting might catch fire! The fitting had seemed to glow red as the previous light tube expired!
I am exaggerating but only a little and I would not have tried to change the light tube if I had really believed that everything would go wrong. However, I still believed a watered down version of Murphy’s law that some things that could go wrong might go wrong at the worst possible moment and I nearly gave up on my goal before I even started. I could have used a lamp instead of changing the fluorescent light. In the event, everything went right although at times I struggled. The ladder and the desk held up under my full weight – over twenty stone – and the fluorescent light is now shining brightly above me. Goal achieved.
When I moved on to open my emails, in triumphant mood, I came across one from Christopher Westra which had a new law inside which I much prefer to Murphy’s: “Everything that CAN go right WILL go right. Expect Miracles!”
He called it Bijan’s law after it’s author and added the following comment: “I came across this today and really liked it. I hope you liked it too. It’s my philosophy, but I like the way Bijan phrases it.”
I, also, prefer Bijan’s law to Murphy’s law. It can motivate you to get a move on with your goals. However, Murphy’s law can still be a useful law in achieving your goals. It repays closer study
Murphy’s law is a well known saying that broadly states that things will go wrong in any given situation, if you give them a chance. The law, thus, gives us fair warning not to leave things to chance. Instead we should prepare well and practice whatever we are planning to do especially if we are performing in public. We should avoid both hurry and worry.