Three years ago, I missed a flight after rushing to the wrong terminal, crying over a failed job interview trip. A man with kind eyes and a worn backpack sat beside me, and we talked about dreams—mine for poetry, his for a simpler life after leaving finance. He mentioned The Blue Finch Café in Santa Fe, then vanished. Inspired, I quit my job, started writing again, and visited the café. There, I read a poem, met the owner, and published a chapbook,
then a poetry book. At a writers’ retreat, I saw his name—Navin Singh, former founder of Lightseed, a firm I’d studied in college. We reconnected, forming a quiet friendship. Later, his sister Tali revealed Navin thought she’d
died during a depressive episode. Meeting me, fighting for my dreams, helped him heal. A donor—likely Navin—funded a fellowship at Blue Finch, where I now live and teach. Missing that flight changed everything, proving small moments can redirect your life. If you feel stuck, trust you haven’t missed your chance. Sometimes, a stranger—like Navin, or even you—can spark the shift you need.
