Rita's Reflections: Following one's instincts can pay off

“The soul refuses all limits.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Some mediums or psychics believe that a coating on the scalp at birth is a sign of an enhanced connection to the afterlife. When I was born, I had what was referred to as cradle cap. Now, I have no idea if there is any truth to the thought, but I have always had a heightened sense of awareness compared to most.

There were signs growing up that I was an overly sensitive child. Soda pop burned my throat. I cried if my hair was brushed or washed with too much vigor. To this day, I still don't like my scalp scrubbed.

On my ninth birthday we were up north when I got a nasty sunburn on my back. I complained that it hurt, but evidently it didn’t look that bad. Three days later, much to everyone’s surprise, my skin peeled off in large sheets.

Maybe that’s when I started feeling different, I really don’t remember. How does one know they are different unless they look to others for comparison. Tender skin and a sunburn isn't much to go by.

Larry can attest that I rarely bruised for a long time. I would get a doozy of a bump and the pain would be there, but no discoloration. I bruise easier now. Aging skin I suppose. Or, I have alien blood and I am not from this planet.

We all have spirit guides that help us along life’s high-ways and low-ways whether we believe that truth or not. We don’t do our guides any favors when we don’t follow our instincts. If the same topic or scenario keeps popping up in your life, perhaps your guide is trying to get you to pay closer attention to something.

Animals are forced to hone their instincts to survive. Humans often pay little attention to their instincts. I estimate I wasted about 20 years ignoring my gut feelings while paying the price in mind, body and soul.

Here are some examples of how heeding my instincts has paid off.

One day I decided to look for a chair for my office. I walked into the store and found the one I wanted. It was the last one, already assembled and I saved $90. The same instinct led me to buying window blinds last week. With the 50% off sale, Larry and I saved as much as we spent.

I had been looking for a thicker yoga mat for months. Walking through the Goodwill store I got a sixth sense, stopped in my tracks and backed up. A bright red yoga mat was hidden under a bunch of sports equipment. I paid $5 for a mat that looks like it has never been used.

Last winter, I suggested we start looking for a truck to replace our small SUV. We had just pulled into the dealership when I spotted the one that would eventually become Larry’s new ride. The best part, I inherited Larry’s Jeep Wrangler! I am hoping Larry will drive me around topless this summer so I can feel the wind in my hair.

Two months ago, I was going through our record albums. We have one Taylor Dane LP record, and I wanted her music on CD. We visited a used bookstore the next day and found two of Taylor’s CDs for $1 each.

Books find me, I don’t find books. Things pop into my life at the right time: friends, inspiration, research material, all kinds of things.

Larry knows when I say something it might not make sense at the time, but eventually like everything, it all comes together in God’s time.

Rita Wyatt Zorn is a wife, mother, grandmother and lifetime Monroe County resident. She can be reached at 7.noniez@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Rita Wyatt Zorn: Following one's instincts can pay off