Well, I made it through 2011! And, as I do every year, I spent some time yesterday reflecting on what I had accomplished in the last year, and what I could do better this year. Only this year, I got to do all of that thinking at the beach. There’s no better way to reflect than to be sitting in nature, and being in total awe of all the beautiful things around you.
So, with all of this thinking, I realized that I have to really be listening to my inner voice and make sure that I really move forward with my gut instincts. I spend a lot of time analyzing things, and I am convinced that it makes me really miss out on blessings because I’m too busy thinking it through and not opening myself up to receive.
I had this lesson driven home for me at the Arts and Crafts market that was going on at the beach. I was browsing about some of the booths, and stumbled upon a display of some very beautiful handmade jewelry. After the last few years of this crazy real estate market, I have become very accustomed to NOT spending money. However, there was this necklace that really intrigued me. It was made with Amethyst, turquoise and peridot. It was just beautiful. I tried it on, and I really gave it a lot of thought. As always, I decided that I needed to think about it. It wasn’t a ton of money, but I just couldn’t bring myself to buy it. The vendor told me that he would be there for another hour or so, but gave me his card in case I missed him.
So, I went back to my beach chair and tried to forget about it. But… the more I thought about it , the more I realized that I wanted to buy myself a present. I had some Christmas money, I deserved it, right? So, I headed back over to the market to buy it. But when I got back to the booth , the artist was packing everything up. So, I told him that I had decided that I just had to have the necklace. But, in the hour that it took me to figure it out, someone else had bought it! Seriously? He had been there all day, and someone came up right after me and bought the very necklace that was perfect for me! Of course, this happens all the time, right?
Well… I was terribly disappointed. But, I told my kids that I had just experienced a very good life lesson. “If you really want something, you cannot hesitate. You will miss out on a lot in life if you don’t go for it. Someone else will jump in and grab your blessings if you wait.” I guess, I didn’t realize how excited I was about doing something “just for me” until I hesitated and missed out. And, I realized more than anything, that I missed out A LOT because I hesitated more than I should! I’ll bet I repeated that same statement over and over for the next hour!
So… as the day came to an end, I went back to the house to start packing up to come home. Tom asked me to pack our clothes while he went outside to start packing things in the truck. As I opened the top drawer and started loading his shirts into the suitcase, I found it… There in a beautiful little sheer sack was the necklace, strategically placed for me to find at exactly the right moment.
My sweet husband had slipped back to the market (saying he had to go to the bathroom), bought the necklace and worked out the story with the artist. He knew that I would come back, and he made sure that the man did not give him up! Both girls were in on it too. The only one that didn’t know was ME! He had quietly bought it, took it home, and worked out a plan for me to “stumble on it”. And when I did, I sobbed. Yes, I really wanted the necklace. But, I got so much more. You see, my husband picked up on how much I liked it and went to great lengths to surprise me with it. The necklace is so much more special now that so much love was put into making sure I had it.
Yes… I hesitated, and I learned a valuable lesson. I definitely need to pay attention and make sure that I go after what I want, and be open to blessings that are in front of me. However, I also learned that sometimes, you can miss out on an even bigger blessing when you set your sights too small. I thought I wanted a necklace. But, I ended up with a beautiful reminder of the love that goes into helping others get what they want. Yes, I am feeling the love, and it is wonderful.
So, today, when I put on my t-shirt and sweat pants for the 8 hour drive home, I also put on my beautiful necklace. It dressed up my outfit, and my attitude! My mom always told me that whatever you do on the first day of the year will set the course for the year. So, I’m guessing that I’m going to have an amazing year full of blessings and love! And, I have the necklace to prove it!
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