Tina Okoli-AzzalarabWhy I’m Currently Ducking and Covering
Hey friends, Tina here. Pull up a chair, grab a snack (ideally something that won’t give you heartburn, because life provides enough of that), and let’s have a real talk about the universe’s favorite game: Karma.
I saw a quote today that hit me like a bag of wet flour: “Everyone has felt their karma, even me. What goes around comes around. Just make sure you’re strong when it’s your turn.”
The Personal Reality of “What Goes Around Comes Around”
Normally, I’m all for “inspirational” quotes. I’ve got the mugs, I’ve got the Pinterest boards, I’ve got the throw pillows that say Live, Laugh, Love (okay, I’m lying about the pillows, I have standards).
When the Bill for the Past Comes Due
But this one? This one felt like a personal call-out. It felt like the universe was leaning over my shoulder, tapping its watch, and saying, “Remember that thing you did in 2014, Tina? Yeah. The bill is due.”
The Difference Between Good and Bad Karma
We all like to talk about karma when it’s happening to other people. You see someone cut you off in traffic without a blinker, and five minutes later you see them pulled over by a cop? That’s the good stuff. That’s premium, organic, farm-to-table karma. We puff out our chests and think, “The universe is a just and fair place.”
The “Grocery Store Shame” Incident
But then… there’s our turn. My turn usually looks less like a “life lesson” and more like a slapstick comedy routine. Last week, I spent a good ten minutes internally judging a woman at the grocery store who was struggling with a self-checkout machine. I wasn’t mean out loud—I’m a lady—but in my head, I was a tech genius. “It’s not that hard, Brenda. Just scan the barcode.”
Two days later? I’m at the same store. I scan a bag of organic kale (trying to be healthy, another mistake), and the machine starts screaming like I’ve just committed a felony. “UNEXPECTED ITEM IN BAGGING AREA.” I tried to fix it. I failed. I had to stand there, bathed in the red blinking light of shame, while a 19-year-old employee had to explain to me how a bag works.
Facing the Boomerang: Owning Your Mess
That’s Karma. She’s not always a “life-altering event.” Sometimes she’s just a teenager named Kyle explaining plastic bags to you because you were arrogant about Brenda’s checkout skills.
What it Means to be “Strong” During Karma
The quote says to “make sure you’re strong when it’s your turn.” But let’s be honest: when the boomerang comes back, my first instinct isn’t “strength.” It’s usually to hide under my weighted blanket and wonder if I can bribe the universe with a promise to start recycling more consistently.
Being “strong” in the face of karma means owning your mess. It means looking at the situation and saying, “Yeah, I probably earned this one.”
- When you’ve been a gossip: And suddenly, you’re the topic of the group chat.
- When you’ve been lazy at work: And the one day you take a 2-hour “lunch,” your boss decides to hold an emergency meeting.
- When you didn’t text that friend back for three weeks: And now you really need a favor and realize how much of a “ghost” you’ve been.
Taking the “L” with Dignity
It’s about taking the L with some dignity. Instead of blaming the wind, the stars, or Mercury being in Gatorade (I know it’s Retrograde, let me have my joke), we have to stand there and take the hit.
The Karma Savings Account: Investing in the Good
Here’s the thing I’ve realized while ducking from my own past choices: Karma isn’t just about punishment. If “what goes around comes around” is true for the bad stuff, it’s also true for the good stuff.
Every time you let someone in during heavy traffic, every time you tip a little extra because the server looked stressed, every time you’re the one person who doesn’t join in on the office trash-talk—that’s all “going around” too.
I like to think I have a little “Karma Savings Account.” Every once in a while, I make a withdrawal (usually by accident), but I’m trying to keep the balance in the green.
Look the Universe in the Eye
So, to whoever is reading this: if you’re currently in the “duck and cover” phase of your life, I see you. If the boomerang is currently circling your head, just remember to keep your chin up. It might hit you in the forehead, but at least you’ll be looking the universe in the eye when it happens.
Be kind, scan your kale carefully, and maybe—just maybe—the universe will go easy on us this week.
What’s the most “instant karma” moment you’ve ever had? Tell me in the comments so I don’t feel so alone in my grocery store shame!
#funnyStories #Humor #karma #LifeLessons #lifestyle #Mindfulness #personalGrowth #SelfImprovement #socialEtiquette #Tina
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