“No! We had a deal. The seller can’t back out like that can they?” I was talking to a Realtor who was explaining that the sellers of a house we wanted to buy had taken the house off the market. Oh, I thought that was horrible. We had finally found a house we could afford in Old Shasta where we wanted to live. Now, it wasn’t going to work out. Within a month, we found another property we could afford in a better location and still within Old Shasta. As it turned out, the property that we first wanted was taken off the market so the owners could sell the house to a friend without realtors. Several years later, we learned that this house ended up having a leaky roof and required expensive repairs. It also was at the bottom of a hill with several houses above it that could look down on them. The property we bought ended up being a much nicer place and was a great place to raise our family. What I thought was a horrible situation turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
This has been a theme throughout my entire life. I seem to have really good guardian angels that look out for me. In reflection, I had a well thought-out career. Each job led to a better opportunity which set up the next job which set up the next opportunity. Actually, an opportunity would present itself, and I would jump in with both feet. I learned to have faith that I was doing what I was supposed to be doing. I learned to not be afraid of change but to embrace it. So my greatest surprises have come from what I thought at the time was a turn of bad luck.
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