There are Signs Everywhere

As Alex, in the movie "Fools Rush In," wanders down the street like a lost puppy after parting with his beloved Isabel, everything seems to be pointing him back to her. A praying priest on his path proclaims out loud, "there are signs everywhere." The world suddenly makes sense, and he knows they are meant to be together.

I have always said I am living a life of clichés. "You have to get worse before you can get better." "This too shall pass." "Everything is meant to be." "Life has no coincidences." It was pivotal when I realized all of those things really are true, and not just words older people use to fill up space in the air of conversations. “There are signs everywhere.” Yes, there are indeed. This one is going on my official I-buy-it-for-sure list.

The night I found out I was accepted to go to India for embryonic stem cell treatments, I was staying with my brother and sister-in-law in NYC. I had already tucked myself into bed, when I had a sudden urge to get up, open my computer and find the doctor's number. I hadn't gotten the e-mail response I had been waiting for. Nothing ever inspires me to get out of bed when I’m all cozy and comfy so I knew to follow my internal drive. It was after midnight for me, but daytime in India. I called two times with no luck in reaching her (disconnected once and the second time it just rang and rang). I decided I'd give it one more try and then give up for the night. On the third try, she answered the phone; and my looming question. "Yes, you may come to India as soon as possible." I lay awake for hours after the call listening to the rambunctious sea of honking horns that defines NYC. The house was awkwardly still as I felt I had just been given the equivalent of a never-ending ladder in a game of Chutes and Ladders. Did I really get to slide ahead of science and time?

It was so overwhelming that I contemplated keeping it a secret. No one would ever know I passed up what could have been the biggest blessing of my life thus far. The next morning, I told my brother and his wife the news when they awoke, still unsure of its true effect on me. This was too big to hold all alone. When I left the city to begin my journey back to L.A., a friendly (yes, really) cab driver gave me the rundown of our route, all while I repeated "who cares...just get me there" in my head. His original plan backfired when we ran into quite an ugly construction mess which detoured us one quick street over.

I looked up and was in disbelief. After being in the city for a week, I'd covered a lot of ground, but had not seen this. This particular street was lined as far as I could see with brightly colored flags flaunting pictures of beautiful dancing women that said “Incredible India!”

Since I have been back, it seems so much of the Indian spirit lingers around me. There is the man I met at farmer's market selling homemade bread who is traveling back to his home of New Delhi at the same time as I am leaving; and the girl I was introduced to recently who just returned from her own healing journey in India.

As I write this, I check my e-mail to find a friend has sent me a link to a story of a two-year-old born with four legs and four arms. I read it astonished, and discover she is from India. She is beautiful and brave. Her parents named her Lakshmi, which means Goddess.

Every day, "there are signs everywhere." I am reminded in little flashes of life, of the odyssey I am about to embark upon. But, lately it feels like just maybe, for the first time since the possibility was born in August, this part of my journey has actually already begun.

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About Amy B. Scher

A passionate author, pioneering patient, and sassy spirit with just enough sweetness to get me by, I live by my self-created motto: when life kicks your ass, kick back.Amy B. Scher's profile Amy B. Scher's blog