Has a moment in your life ever happened and the first thought that popped into your head was, “If only I had waited 2 more minutes, that wouldn’t have happened”, or perhaps, “If only I had gone here instead of there, that wouldn’t have happened?" An important life lesson that I have to come to understand and learn more than anything else while growing up is that timing is everything.

I have found this idea to mean and apply more in my life than almost any other. It actually applies to nearly everything. Did you apply to an internship and not get it? It’s probably because it just so happens that at that time you submitted your application, another applicant seemed more suitable for the job. Did you run into the one person you didn’t want to see on the street? It maybe wouldn’t have happened if you stopped to get a cup of coffee instead.

Timing impacts every decision and situation you find yourself in. Timing impacts the relationships you form, the actions you take, and the life events you partake in. When I first learned how important timing was and how it more often than not kept me from something I wanted, I would curse it. I would think that timing was just always working against me and never working for me. But I realize now that no matter how much timing can make you hurt and no matter how much you think life is unfair because timing wasn’t on your side, there’s a reason for everything.

And that’s it, the most cliché of things that can be said, but everything happens for a reason and timing is just a part of that equation. Things will fall into place the way they’re supposed to. Just because the timing isn’t right now doesn’t mean it won’t be right in the future and just because timing kept you from something now doesn’t mean it won’t happen. Or maybe, timing kept you from something that wasn’t right for you to begin with and you just didn’t know it. So, even if it didn’t seem like it then, timing ultimately worked in your favor.

Things happen, events take place and relationships start and end. Timing may be a b*tch but it’s the b*tch that makes you realize what you need is sometimes more important than what you want. Don’t curse timing because sometimes, timing saves you in the future. Just always remember that just because the timing isn’t right now, doesn’t mean it won’t be right later. However, if it’s still not right in the future than maybe whatever you wanted wasn’t meant to be in the first place.

Basically the life advice to take away from here is try to navigate through life, take things as they come and look on the brighter side of things. You never know what could happen in the future and you never know who or what could change in your life. Listen to your heart and listen to your brain, and timing will take care of the rest, whether you sometimes agree with it or not.