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It isn't in vogue to pay attention to omens and signs. In our technological world we tend to scoff at things like that. But I believe in them and I try to be aware of them.They have never guided me wrong. Well, here is a little thing that happened to me just recently. And there was a message in it.

I had booked my trip to India several months in advance. And I decided to travel in a way I had never done before. I booked India as a group travel trip. That means that I was going to be staying with a group of people and everything would be programmed for me. Us as a group would stay at the same hotel, get on the same bus and do pretty much everything together. We would have a tour guide to accompany us on all of this and keep us safe.

This is something I have never done before. I always traveled on my own, made my own arrangements and figured out what I would do based on what I wanted to do! But a few things made me more conservative for this trip. First off, I am not as young and spry as I used to be. I have slowed down quite a bit. So, I wasn't looking forward to long hikes and long walks around strange cities and neighborhoods. And secondly those strange neighborhoods and cities were in India. And because of the poverty I was concerned about crime. Simple fact.

So we start out with all this. A bit of concern for my safety from crime, pollution, the water, the over crowding, the food and more and then we add in a different factor. Everybody I know asked me "Why India?" It is like everyone was incredulous. Like there is nothing but poverty and crime in India. Hmmm... that all started to work on my.

Then my mom looked me in the eye one day and said "Please don't go to India. I have a bad feeling."

Now that threw off some warning bells. I listen to intuition. It is important to me.

So we have all of this working on me for several months. And then the third possible warning sign was the difficulty in me getting a Visa. I had a lot of trouble with it. It just didn't go smoothly or quickly.

M y thinking was that maybe this visa trouble was another sign that the universe did not want me to go to India.

Well, the wheel turns as it always does and the time to travel came closer and closer. I was booked, I got my visa, and I told my mom sorry but I am going.

Yet it all still nagged at me. And this is a new feeling for me. I have traveled. It is not a big deal. Nothing to worry about. Yet it still nagged at me.

The wheel continued to turn and I found myself on the very morning of my departure. Everything was packed. I was 100% ready to go. Everything double checked, clothes, luggage, visa, passport, money etc. I sat down and just thought for a bit. "This is it. Once I cross through that threshold the decision was made. I was going. But was I ignoring the signs?"

And I made the decision, with some trepidation, to go. That was it. I grabbed my backpack, suitcase, and keys and opened the hallway door.

And there in the hall was a bird. Flying around and trying to get out. I stood there partially in shock. How the heck did a bird get in the hallway. He flew into the screening blocking my door, trying to get into my apartment. Not sure why. He kept trying to come toward me into my place. But couldn't.

I opened the outer door, hoping he would fly out. But he didn't. He flew into the basement.

I chased him down there and couldn't get him! I had to leave a note for my son to go down there, get him and let him out of the house.

As I walked down the street to the bus stop something good came over me. It was the strangest thing. I simply knew that the bird was trying to tell me that everything was going to be ok. My trip would be fine and I would be fine. And I was. It was a wonderful trip rich with experience.