Not a recent arrival

Why didn’t anyone tell me that the key to my life is in the basement at Book Smart on Hennepin Avenue? More specifically in a book about Capricorns on the “Recent Arrivals” rack.

Last week a friend and I moseyed through the used bookshops of Uptown, one of my alltime favorite things to do. Almost simultaneously we found the books. One on Capricorns (I’m one) and one on Tauruses (he’s one). For the next 10 minutes, we found exactly what we’ve been looking for over the past 27 years: who we are, what we should do for love and success, and what’s going to happen next. Greedy astrologers with wide eyes, we excitedly told each other what the pages in our respective books revealed—practically EVERYTHING.
Like the fact that Capricorns are organized and disciplined. (true, too true)
I should wear classic dresses like Katherine Hepburn if I'm trying to attract men. (ok)
My spirit is moved by Latin music. (haha, what?!)
I’m a saver, or some level of a tight-ass. (true)
Orlando Bloom shares my birthday, and Dolly Parton is a Capricorn too!
My friend learned that he has a weakness in his throat, among other things.
We took all of these things to heart for exactly zero seconds, and tried to keep our laughter to a minimum in the quiet basement of books.

But I couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to actually have a book with truth about the future because over the past few weeks, a fear about the future has been lingering closer to my heart than normal. Yesterday, I sat at a work meeting with a new coworker. She asked how I got to be where I am. I then proceeded to relay to her how over the course of a year or so, I got from California to Minnesota, from editor to nanny to freelancer, back to editor plus grad student, and in a chair in my very own office, not to mention in a townhome that I own. Her response? “Wow, that’s pretty cool.”

Ha! Yes. Yes it is. And I thought to myself how silly I am to forget, to worry about my future. Hasn’t the past taught me anything? And I do have a book (not a recent arrival) with hope, assurance and direction.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11

And no, God’s plans are not very clear sometimes, but c’mon. Neither is trying to attract members of the opposite sex by wearing Katherine Hepburn dresses.