Three times within 10 days someone mentioned author Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist to me. This was weeks ago. I took the hint from the universe and read the book. It changed everything. I had two major insights about my own book and have been working on it every day since.

Imagine that. Being unblocked by casually reading a book. I am ever grateful that I have learned to heed signs, to be open and, in some cases, to stop resisting. A friend was reading the book last summer, but his copy was in Spanish so I couldn’t borrow it. Then it fell off my radar. Until recently.

I believe I was supposed to read that book exactly when I did. Had I not deviated from my usual Sunday afternoon routine and instead found myself sitting with the book and a cup of coffee, I may have never had the epiphany I did. The experience has helped me to process and embody the nuanced concept that no matter what happens in life, it is all for the good.

Twice in the last week Life of Pi by Yann Martel has crossed my path. I bought it. I’m on page 73. I can hardly wait to find out why the universe wanted me to pick it up.