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Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

My mom used to say (or maybe she was quoting someone else, I'm not sure) that there are signs everywhere; you just have to notice them. You don't need tea leaves or tarot cards to give you some help in making a decision; a newspaper will do. Open the paper (or a book) to a random page, and poke your finger at it. You just might find the answer you're looking for.

I remember when Al was trying to help a friend decide between taking a professorship at Harvard and one at Stanford. She had ties to Stanford, but the Harvard job was appealing, too. She was really torn. After a day of discussing it in depth, they went to the movies, where they talked about it a bit more while waiting for the film to start. A few college kids filed into the row in front of them and turned to look up for more of their friends, and the one who stopped right in front of Al's friend was wearing a shirt that said, "Harvard: The Right Choice."

On the walk home on the day I got laid off, two strangers on separate blocks said "hi!" as I passed, like I'd startled them with my own greeting (though I hadn't). Then, as I was walking down Arch Street, a man walked out of a bar for a cigarette, looked me right in the eye, and said, "FUCK YEAH! IT'S THE RIGHT FUCKING TIME!"

I smiled at him and thought to myself, why yes, yes it is.