We are all infinitely connected to the Universe, a source of great strength, guidance and love. Many of us aren’t aware of this connection. Many of us float through life feeling alone, even abandoned, and fearful of life events. Being connected to the Universe doesn’t mean that you won’t ever feel these things ever again from time to time. It does mean that your life will feel more purposeful and that you’ll always have something else to turn to that is so much bigger. It is then your choice to nurture that relationship in order to feel more connected, more of the time.
I spent my childhood knowing there was more to life, but not quite knowing exactly how or where this magic showed up. I struggled in the real world, a few times renouncing the part of me that believed. Yet someone would always appear in my life to remind me of my true nature, remind me of my connection and of my deep belief, that dreams really do come true.
Then I met my present partner. On the outside we had nothing in common, but we had similar values which stood for a lot. At first he graded my magical ramblings as waffle. Gradually he began to see that my waffle wasn’t unfounded. He witnessed magical event after magical event until he could no longer deny that the Universe was with me, and always looking out for me. As it does for all of us.
I will share the tale of one of the biggest Universe events to happen to me in recent years. My partner still refers to it as the day he knew undoubtedly that we were guided by other forces.
Let’s set the scene. Myself and my partner are in my favourite place in the whole world – Iceland. This is my second visit, his first, and I am repeating some experiences and having new ones. On our list on this day is the Blue Lagoon followed by a Northern Lights tour. What a perfect day. So we are bobbing about The Blue Lagoon and I fall in love so much that we decide to stay there all day. (For an amazing guide to the Blue Lagoon, read this detailed guide by Jessica).
As evening starts to fall, we agree on a time to leave, to ensure our coach will get us back to the hotel ready to be collected for the Northern Lights tour. I continue to bob about in the milky blue water, applying a fifth face mask and listening to French tourists reading out signs.
At the agreed time, we reluctantly leave. I have the most luxurious skin and hair I’ve ever had, thanks to having Blue Lagoon conditioner on it for seven hours. We float onto the bus and start being driven back to Reykjavik.
Reykjavik tour buses all go through similar processes. They depart or arrive at their main bus station first BSI and then deliver the rest to their hotels. The idea being that if there are people staying further out, they get decanted to a mini bus so that a huge coach isn’t driving for miles for a very small number of people. It’s a good system, if sometimes confusing if you are tired and new to it.
Upon arriving at the BSI, I check the time and panic begins to rise. I can see that we are already cutting it close. I check the timetable, convinced that they have made an error. This is the moment I realise I misread the times, confusing arrival at BSI estimation for arrival at hotel estimation, which is easily another hour. We will not make the pick up time for the Northern Lights tour. I’m full of despair that I have ruined our evening and also potentially ruined our chance at finally seeing a good display of the aurora. I sit quiet, and remain calm. I trust that it might be okay and try to relax.
Drop off after drop off, it’s becoming more obvious that this isn’t going to work out. I quickly email the tour company for the Northern Lights using my mobile, and tell them our predicament. They respond quickly, promising to make us the last collection on their list of pick ups. Even then I know we still won’t make it, but I gratefully accept and once again try to remain calm.
I consider the remaining options. There is only one thing left to do. implore to the bus driver. I connected deeply within, approached him and told him of the situation. He told us that he couldn’t drive the bus near our hotel due to the road restrictions and that we would have to wait. My final words to him were; “We’re going to miss our tour.” And I looked deeply into his eyes, catching a breaths moment where he saw me where I was, and I saw him where he was. After that, he continued to drive and I sat back in my seat wondering what would happen and mentally working out what I needed to do once back at the hotel to be ready. A Northern Lights tour cannot be taken lightly.
It seemed like time was slowing down, and we were going round in circles. Then the street suddenly looked familiar. It was our hotel. The driver had broken all the rules to get us back to the hotel at super speed – what an incredible man! I could have kissed him. He was so modest about his heroic feat, and I knew I couldn’t compliment him publicly due to his rule-breaking. We thanked him sincerely and ran into the hotel to get ready.
So we are back, and the tour bus is due. For most tours booked, the companies request that you have to be outside approx 45 minutes before the departure time. It is to make life easier on the companies in their task of picking up from ten hotels scattered across Reykjavik in an hour.
Some drivers will call you if you aren’t there, but they don’t have to. They have the right to leave if you are nowhere to be seen and holding up the tour for everyone. Knowing this, one of us has to be outside asap. Already mentally prepared from the bus, I am able to get ready at super speed, and tell my partner that I’ll be outside to ensure the bus doesn’t leave without us.
As I flee down the stairs I feel something familiar. Each step feeling like it is in slow motion. The Universe is present. Adrenaline causes me to ignore this and to continue diving for the front door. I whack it open, step outside and there it is. The entire sky is illuminated with green waves.
I scream up to my partner to join me and watch the flow, green, white, pink/purple. I start taking photos (not realising my settings were all wrong – read this post which is by far the most comprehensive photography guide I have found on taking photos of the lights. Do not miss your chance with bad planning!). Others come outside and exude a number of emotions. Screaming, overwhelm, laughing – it’s like we are all on drugs. None of us can quite believe what the sky is showing us.
Far too soon, as if by magic, the display dies down and my mind erases what I have just seen. Whether this is my acquired brain injury or the intensity of the moment, I don’t know. It’s for reasons like this that I indulge in photography. An image can help me to remember.
I pack away my camera and the tour bus pulls up. I feel immensely guilty that we managed to see all of that due to my mess up with the bus timetable. We wonder if the tour bus allowed their passengers to watch between pick-ups. We get on the bus and it is glaringly obvious that everyone is unaware of what just happened. I try eavesdropping to see if they are talking about it, but no. It’s like we were in different realities.
The tour continues with minimal views of the Lights. We instead see the grey cloud-like haze which often displays on Northern Light tours, that is until you take a long-exposure photograph and realise the grey haze is the Northern Lights. We returned to the hotel some hours later, still on a high.
I start getting ready for bed. In my pyjamas and about to pack away my equipment, I feel the familiar slow wave over me. I stopped and listened and spoke the words that came to me: “It’s not over yet”. I grabbed my camera and an Icelandic beer and headed for the communal balcony.
As if by clockwork, the Lights were gathering momentum. They danced, circled, waved, spiralled. It seemed every dance that could be done was decorating in the sky. We drank our beer and once again I took terrible photographs of this once in a lifetime beauty.
Towards the end of the beer, they subsided again. Then I fully knew it was over for the night. We went to bed, me scrolling endlessly through my photographs, my partner making sense of the evening in his head.
This is the tale of the most dramatic outcome of Universal connection. As my partner describes it, “It’s like the Universe rearranges itself to accommodate you”. Miracles happen. Dreams happen. All you have to do is believe.
*Some links may be affiliates and generate money or gifts. I only share links to services of products I use myself and will update links if I find better – Clair