Opportunity

I was watching the NHL playoffs a few nights ago and a player was set up perfectly for a one-timer. The goalie had left a gaping net, and was in absolutely no position to prevent a goal. Rather than shoot the puck immediately, though, the player stopped it, skated a bit, and then shot. By the time he let the puck go, the goalie had slid over to stop the shot. The player, and forgive me because I wasn’t paying attention to who it was, must have been rather upset at himself. Knowing how these playoffs have gone so far, a single goal can almost decide the game. Now, I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but it occurred to me that this brief play in a hockey game encapsulates a lot of what happens in life: wait too long and you might lose out.

This is particularly true with me. For example, I waited for CitiFinancial to hire me for months. Months ago, I was certain that I had the job lined up so I didn’t give it a moment’s thought. When I tried to get more details and confirm my employment, however, I was met with silence. I assured myself that they were just busy or something, so I shrugged it off. But as time continued to pass by, I became increasingly worried and it became apparent that my hopes were not very secure. My faith in the people there sank and, for a time, I was quite miserable. I waited too long; had I realized this earlier, I could have applied to many more jobs as openings for summer students were plentiful in February and March. If there is one thing that I don’t like, it’s uncertainty; I like knowing and understanding everything. So it doesn’t take much for me to get on a downer when things are up in the air. I was very unsure about my employment this summer. I lamented about it, and I tried to find something. But, for one reason or another, things just weren’t working out. Sigh.

Keep in mind that I’m not suggesting that we should pounce on every opportunity that comes on the table. But the good ones need a quick response or they might just slip through our fingers.

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