How Murphy’s Law Tested Me—Part 1:
From Confidence to Chaos
Have you ever had one of those weeks where everything seems to go wrong, no matter how hard you try? Well, last week was one of those for me.
I’ve had my share of encounters with Murphy’s Law, and let me tell you—it’s never fun or a cakewalk.
Murphy's Law is typically stated as: "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." In some versions, it’s extended to, "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time." — Cited from Wikipedia —
Now that we’ve cleared that up, let me tell you about my wild week.
On Monday, I was feeling great. I’d just completed my ayahuasca ceremony and spent an extra night with the Shaman and family. The experience was mind-blowing. We were even making plans for the future. Honestly, I felt on top of the world.
By Tuesday morning, I was ready to start packing for my Wednesday trip. My checklist was longer than usual because of the extra night, but I wasn’t worried. It’s Medellín, and everything always seems to flow for me here.
My first stop was to pick up a jacket I’d dropped off at the tailor on Saturday to get the zippers fixed. He promised it would be done by Monday, so I assumed it was ready. When I arrived, he said to come back on Wednesday. "I can’t," I told him, "I’m flying out on Wednesday. I need it done by the end of today." He agreed, "Come back in two hours." That worked for me—crisis averted.
Next up, I grabbed my laundry and headed to the 24-hour laundromat. But as I walked, I had this uneasy feeling in my stomach. You know that feeling when you just know things are about to go sideways?
Now, after my ceremony, I’ve been hyper-aware of everything in my space—picking up messages, smells, signs—everything. I practice non-resistance, so I thought, "Okay, here we go," and just shook my head.
As I walked, I reminded myself, "Watch where you’re going, don’t fall into a crack." Medellín’s streets can be uneven, and the last thing I needed was to trip while carrying my laundry. Thankfully, I didn’t. I made it to the laundromat, but when I asked for same-day service, the woman behind the counter said they were closing early. WHAT?! It’s a 24-hour business! I asked why, and she explained that her replacement wasn’t coming in, so they had to close early.
Strike two.
I hate traveling with dirty laundry, and this threw me off big time. That’s when I realized I have a bit of an OCD streak when it comes to travel. The idea of packing dirty clothes was overwhelming, and I might have had a little breakdown. Luckily, my friend Kyan helped me figure out a way to separate the clean from the dirty, and eventually, I calmed down.
Little did I know, this was only the beginning of a much crazier week ahead.