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Everywhere I go, I meet students and alumni. On campus, at events, in airports, on the street, they find me, and more often than not, I am a receptacle for their struggles. They tell me about the job they didn’t get, the relationship that hasn’t worked out, or how they’re searching for just the right “dose” of life.

Years ago, I ran into one of our alumni who spoke to me straight from the heart. She told me how deeply she longed to find that special someone. I listened, tried my best to encourage her, and told her what I’ve come to believe: “People plan and G-d laughs. It’s all about timing. Don’t give up, because the right person is around the corner.”

That lesson resurfaced for me in an unexpected way this past Thursday night. I had the chance to join a JGO board member at a Phillies game. Kyle Schwarber launched a home run in the first inning, then a second, then a third. By the 6th inning, it was clear history was in the making.

But I was exhausted, I had left home at 4:30 a.m. and had an early morning ahead. My friend said he’d leave after the 7th inning stretch, so I agreed to hang on. Then, when the time came, he decided to stay. I politely slipped out.

As I was walking to my car, I heard the eruption of the crowd. Schwarber had just hit his fourth home run-a feat so rare it’s happened only 19 times in Major League history. And I had missed it. The entire ride home, regret gnawed at me.

I arrived home at 11:45 p.m., dropped my bag, said hello to my wife, and within a minute I heard her start screaming that the upstairs bathtub pipe had exploded. Water gushed through the bathroom, into the bedroom, kitchen ceiling, and even the basement. It was chaos!

Somehow, I remembered someone showing me where the water shut-off valve was and I immediately raced downstairs and miraculously turned it off, thereby stopping the flood in its tracks. Then I realized, if I hadn’t left the game early, the damage would have been catastrophic. No more four-homer regret. Timing had saved the day. People plan and G-d laughs. There is a plan and every minute is accounted for.  

And then, just a few weeks ago, I ran into that same alumna again on the streets of Manhattan. This time she wasn’t discouraged, she was glowing. She proudly introduced me to her fiancé. Then, leaning in so he couldn’t hear, she whispered:

“Rabbi, you were right. It’s all about timing.”

We are all exactly where we should be.