Did you know Albert Einstein was a philosopher, on top of all of his other stellar contributions? He philosophized that the most important question you will ever answer yourself is a simple one: Is the universe a friendly place?
When I heard this question in a webinar the other day, I smiled, knowing my answer. Think about it for yourself. Do you find the relationship you have struck up with the world around you to be friendly or adverse, or somewhere in between? Your answer is pivotal because by cultivating awareness, you can shift your perspective and change your narrative. Let’s face it, we all have a life story we are unfolding. And the universe plays an important role, as we either find flow or bump up against it constantly. The dance is a give and take and offers us information that can help to guide us along in the journey.
Do you some examples that represent how friendly the universe is? I have many. Just today I experienced such a moment. I had misplaced my vehicle registration and knew I needed it for my son’s second behind-the-wheel test (he didn’t pass the first time—I am thinking this was also a friendly sign, but I digress…) So I ransacked and didn’t have any luck. Then today I went to my mailbox and there was my registration in its old, opened envelope. Yes, a simple example, but most of life is made up of these kind of smaller moments. And “the universe” comes in many forms, from a stranger, to an inanimate object, to what can look like fate blowing through to shift everything.
Of all the questions Einstein asked himself in his lifetime, I love that this was what he considered his most important. I think it is because from in the answer spawns the backdrop of your life. So, a choice, and in Einstein’s case, as he studied the universe in profound and expansive ways, he must have made a pact that the universe was indeed a friendly place. This doesn’t make it without challenges or heartache. But it does shift how we see life and the learning it offers.
I’d like to think that willing students ripe for lessons are given opportunities to see examples that reflect back to them the (hopefully) friendly atmosphere of their world.
So, I ask you, is the universe friendly?
