Listen to the 3 min story here "WTF, I think I just got shat on..." This was said in mild disbelief seconds after meeting a new friend in person for the first time and just before getting in my car. I was picking her up from her hotel in Waikiki to go galavanting before brown liquid grazed the my shirt sleeve and speckled my creamy white shorts. "I heard that in Japanese culture this is considered a sign good luck!" she said. I replied, "You know what, I'm just gonna believe that and roll with it." I walked up to the valet driver and asked if he had anything to clean the bird doo doo off of me. Of course he did–it's Hawaii. He handed me a spray bottle of diluted rubbing alcohol and a paper towel with a smile like I wasn't the first victim of the day.
"Oh nice! looks like you're gonna experience some good luck!" My new friend and I both new the ridiculousness of this moment would show up in a future email so we snapped a picture and giggled about it.
1 of 2 solo photos I've taken this year.
While I was rubbing out the skeet stains I thought: I bet that's just a rehearsed belief they state to bird-bombed tourists so they don't have to deal with the angry aftermath of someone having a shitty day (pun intended). And you know what, they'd be right for doing that. Imagine if I lost my shit, grumbled home to change, and then dragged my bottom lip on the ground from frowning about a disgustingly packaged "blessing." I would’ve missed out on one of the richest conversations I’ve had this year—the kind reframes how you see yourself and aggressively pokes you into being more of yourself. I had a choice:
❌💩❌ Let a dirty pigeon ruin my day...
✅💩✅ Or accept poo-poo packaged luck.
And actually, we get sh*t on daily. At work. At home. By strangers. By ourselves.
It's normal to be upset when sh*t rains on your parade–but how we choose to respond? It's the difference between having an overdramatic "woe-is-me" festival or having unexpected breakthroughs. This could be exact the email you needed and you never would've got it if I didn't choose to make use of the moment after taking a fecal hit for you lol. Good luck is contagious–if we let ourselves believe in it. What’s one shitty moment that turned out to be a hidden blessing for you? ✌🏾TTYL!✌🏾 Simie P.S. A few days ago while finishing up pink guava gelato, my cousin was shatteth upon by a neighborhood bird–right after spiraling about a job ultimatum. The next day, she was granted a happy hybrid option that's giving her everything she needs. P.P.S. About 10 minutes after that blessing, Abbey joined the bird bombed crew on our walk home. No major luck has come her way yet, but I'm sure I'll have something to write about sooner than later.
stuffthatsticks.co