As an experienced seamstress, I was excited to select the perfect material for one of the easiest patterns, along with the required elastic and ribbon to create a pair of wrap pants.
Taking my sewing material treasures home from the fabric store, how delighted was I to find there was ONLY ONE pattern piece to sew my chic wrap pants! This project will be a breeze – cut, sew a couple of seams, hem, and iron!
Knowing the entire time needed to complete these pants from laying out the material, to the hemming and the ironing would be less than an hour, I couldn’t wait to begin!
Then the messages from the Universe began in other parts of my life – they were subtle at first – traffic slowing me down, people standing in front of me in line taking too much time, the stove not heating up quickly enough. In my mind, I repeated what I was experiencing – the Universe was signaling for me to slow down, to take my time.
But some lessons need to learned the hard way. As I began my sewing project, my sewing machine began jamming, the material was snagging as I sewed, and in my excitement to complete my project, I cut the ribbon instead of the elastic! Again, I was experiencing and not heeding the message – to take my time.
The project was nearing completion – I was so excited to try it on – only to find that the fashion-forward pants looked like droopy diapers for a large elephant instead – it took a while to discover in my haste, I had sewn the wrong sides together!
Ever the optimist, I grabbed my trusty seam ripper to begin mending my ways and correcting my stiches. Only the message still didn’t click – because I dropped my ripper into parts unknown – and they stayed hidden while I searched everywhere for them.
The Universe was asking me to simmer down – to take my time again.
Resigned, I sat down and gave myself a talking. Katie, you need to take your time and quit rushing. If I had slowed my pace, I could have completed multiple pairs of wrap pants. Instead, here I was with cut material, sewn together incorrectly, and frustrated.
I put away my sewing machine, my perfect material, and my dream of looking like a fashion model in my flowing wrap pants.
My reward for listening to the Universe was one week later when the seam ripper magically appeared exactly where I had thought I had dropped it.
When you receive subtle (and not-so-subtle) Universe messages, how do you respond? I’m working to become a better Universe listener, to honor the messages, and to respect what I hear. Sometimes it takes me longer than I want because I don’t stop to take the time. And that’s the lesson I was to learn. Stop, Katie, and take your time.
