Mama Kat's writing workshop prompt: Ignoring Intuition

 As you know from my previous post, I'm a firm believer in intuition. I also disbelieve in coincidence. If something happens, there is a reason, a connection. Each week Mama Kat offers 5 writing prompts to get writers writing.

As it happens, this week one of them is:
Describe a moment when you ignored your intuition. What happened?

Coincidence? I think not! Obviously. So, something in the universe, God, if you prefer, is telling me to listen closely to my intuition and reminding me of what happens when I don't. So, I'll share with you what happened once when I ignored my intuition.

I met my friend... we'll call her Louise... when I was 5. I was hiding under the table at Kindergarten round-up. My mother was in the next room and I was painfully shy. Louise reached out to me and said, "Why are you crying?" We've been friends ever since. That's 30 years now. Though we haven't been in close contact since we graduated high-school, we've always shared a close connection. Similar to the one I share with my sister. Whenever she was on my mind for no known reason I just knew it was time to call her. Inevitably she'd tell me she'd been thinking of me and was going through something that required an empathic shoulder. Or, I'd dream of her and then get a call from her the next day. I learned to trust that when Louise was on my mind it was time to get in touch.

Deep breath.

A couple of years ago I started dreaming of her often. More often than I ever had. It had been a couple of years since we'd seen each other and nearly a year since we talked. I had two young children and a Kindermusik business to take care of and she was living the free and easy single life. Every morning after a dream, I'd think to myself, "I'll call her later today or tomorrow." This went on for a few months. I had this nagging, pulling feeling telling me to call her, but I let life get in the way and used it as an excuse. One day in April I dreamed of her again. It was a frightening dream and she was in serious trouble. She was drugged, drunk, lost and asking for my help. I woke up and knew that was the day I must call her. I had an early doctors appointment and called her when I got into my car to go home. My husband was home with the girls. There was no answer, so I left her a message and resolved to call again later.

Later, that afternoon, I got a call from my mom. She said, "DG," ok, actually she said my name, but I'm keeping that to myself, "It's Louise."

Oh God! I thought. I knew it!

"What happened?" I asked, terrified.

Louise had overdosed the night before, while I was dreaming of her, and was in the hospital with severe liver failure. They didn't know if she would make it.

If I had only called her! For months her spirit had been calling to mine, reaching out for help and I let her down. Maybe I could have done something. Maybe just talking with me would have altered her path in a better way.

The story continues, and Louise survives, but I'll stop here with one last thought to share. Though I felt guilty for a long time for ignoring my intuition, I came to understand that too had happened for a reason. Louise had to learn her own lesson. The Universe demanded that I stay out of the way, and so I did. But now, when I hear the voice or dream a dream, I listen. Do you?

I promise to get back to the typical Domestic Goddess Mommy writings tomorrow! Like telling you how my little guy is now a serious walker and climber, how babies don't understand the concept of daylight savings and how this gorgeous, crazy Midwest weather is setting my domestic duties way off course!

Thanks for reading!