 Hi. Welcome to Seymour's World commentary. Last week, Hurricane Lane was barreling towards Hawaii with 155 mph winds. Devastation on a catastrophic scale was predicted, with loss of lives and property on a proportion never anticipated before. Businesses closed, hotels prepared for the worst, the disaster relief teams were activated and life stood still. Our house became a haven for those who live close to the ocean. We live high on a hill. And every news report predicted a disaster. I worried about our homeless population and our foster kids, yet I remained completely calm. Why? Because I believe in Beshert. You ask, what is Beshert? Beshert is a Jewish expression which roughly translated is meant to be. Some people say coincidence, some say preordained or inevitable. But to me, my life is Beshert. I don't worry about anything that I cannot control. Why? Because I truly believe it's Beshert. As the announcers became more and more distraught about the hurricane, I actually became more and more calm. Some people thought I was crazy, but honestly, there's a wonderful freedom in the realization that some things are beyond your control. The hurricane decided that we were not on the menu that day and veered away. And although we did have major property damage on some of our islands, we were okay. So Beshert has become my way of life, and maybe you should consider living your life this way as well. Some of you know I have been diagnosed with cancer, and the doctors can't believe how well I'm doing. Why? Because I believe I have so much to do. I don't have time to worry about whether it's my time or not my time. I live life to the max. I take chances and risks that frankly surprise me sometimes, but I know why. Because I believe that I can do whatever I put my mind to because it's Beshert. Have you ever fallen in love, head over heels, and can't believe that this has happened to you? Is it just luck that you met that person at just that moment and your life changed forever? What do you do next? If you are too cautious, you may lose the opportunity. But if you believe it's Beshert, then you go for it. You do whatever it takes to fulfill your dream. Beshert can apply to any happening which appears to bear the fingerprints of divine providence. Maybe just bumping into an old friend you were just thinking about. There is a certain fatalism in the image of Beshert. I think we spend far too much time predicting, planning, and questioning the future. Where will I live? Where will I work? And why on earth isn't it all happening right now? A practice that is nothing more than a frustrating exercise in futility. For through some recent reflection, I have realized the best things that have happened in my life were anything but planned. Sure, there's been a general path I followed, high school, college, job, work, etc. But all of the truly great opportunities I've had, decisions I've made and experiences I've accumulated, have been the result of good timing, good luck, and a gut feeling. Yes, Beshert. It turns out there's a reason we have the expression better than I could have imagined, because we aren't supposed to see the best things coming, at least not in perfect 2020. While all the worrying, planning, and predicting comes from a good place, a place of wanting the best and trying to avoid regret, even the best laid plans will never be able to trump what's meant to be Beshert. So even though it's hard to let go, give yourself a break, have a little patience, and embrace the Beshert. You may just find something you didn't even know you were looking for. Thank you for watching Seymour's World, commentary on ThinkTech Hawaii. Please send me your comments. Aloha.