You’re More Powerful Than You Know: Whaddya Think These Days?
I’d been looking for some new shoes, a certain kind of sandal, for quite a while before George and I went to South Dakota earlier this summer to visit my family. I’m not a big shopper these days, although I bless my twenty-something self for all the lovely clothes, shoes, and apartment decorations we charged together back in the day.
Comfort is super important to me now, yet I have no desire to dress like a 1970’s polyester Grandma. I’d rather dress like a cross between Sophia Loren and Carole King as Grandma.
So, there George and I were, standing in line to board our plane from Portland to Denver. I always look around when I’m in a crowded place; it’s just what I do. Right behind me was this tall, gorgeous African-American woman, I’ll guess 25, with awesome cornrow braids, and as my eyes went down her legs…the sandals!!! There they were!!! On her feet!!! I tried to gracefully catch her attention by the focused “I’m looking at you, see me, see me, I want you to acknowledge and talk to me” not-really-stare, but she wasn’t having any of it. Could have been because of her height and eyes drifting over the top of my head, not even noticing me. Could have been because she felt I wanted to engage and she didn’t. Could have been, “Why does that creepy woman in front of me keep staring at my feet?” At any rate, I didn’t feel comfortable asking where she got her shoes.
Her sandals had a slight comfortable-looking half inch heel and two rich toned, colored with a bit of sparkle, leather straps over the foot. Nothing on or between the toes, yay! (Obviously, I’m not a flip-flop fan.) I turned to George and whispered, “Those are the kind of sandals I’ve been looking for.”
Our plane landed in Sioux Falls an hour later than expected. We reached Watertown in our rental car just before midnight.
Because of the late night, we didn’t reach my parent’s farm until close to 1 pm the following day, with much appreciation for the meal of roasted pork chops, mashed Yukon gold potatoes with gravy, and fresh hand-picked wild asparagus. The best asparagus I’ve ever had.
We settled into the living room after dinner (known as “lunch” other places) and Mom crooked her finger to invite me to see something in the bedroom. She had some sandals she’d only worn a couple of times and didn’t work for her. She wanted me to have them.
27 hours after I’d seen and said aloud what I wanted in the airport. Last weekend, while walking, I ran across an estate sale and began to browse. It was a great sale with vintage items from the 30’s, hand-crocheted doilies, a porcelain doll collection, gorgeous depression glass items in perfect condition. I was entranced, and thought to myself, “I wonder if I’ll find that tiny jewelry box I’ve been wanting for my bathroom vanity?” I looked down and there was a tiny jewelry box right in front of me, by my right hand. It was almost the right size, but wasn’t wood and I wanted wood. I thought, “I wonder if there are any wooden jewelry boxes?” as I turned my head to see three wooden jewelry boxes at the end of the next table over. They were too large, but they were wood. These were the only jewelry boxes in the entire (two lawns worth) sale. Those two particular tables were mainly filled with Christmas decorations, quilts, and miscellaneous household items. Makes me wonder what would have happened if I’d thought, “Please show me a small mahogany jewelry box, 3.5” x 3” x 2”, velvet lined, with a hinged lid, for $4 or under.” In Outrageous Openness, Tosha Silver writes: “We lived side by side on a bucolic country road in the Catskills during an awful time when challenges circled me like a flock of ravens. I loved to sit on my little porch and contemplate my misery… Sometimes as I sat brooding, I imagined buying latticework to grow ivy and purple bougainvillea. Just the image would lift my heart. But I told Amy sadly that even driving 50 miles to the nearest lumbar shop was overwhelming. I did periodically remember to ask God for help. Every so often I would half-heartedly mumble to the Force that I couldn’t really feel but needed to pretend existed, “Okay, I’m totally lost. Any sign I’m not alone will do right now. Please?” One day a big truck came barreling along, unheard of on our quiet road. A moment later, I saw Amy slapping her thighs, howling with laughter. “Oh my God! You won’t believe what just fell off that thing!” she yelled as the truck vanished around the corner. A huge piece of lattice the exact size I needed had been dropped and delivered by the side of the road.” https://toshasilver.com/ When have you received an unexpected blessing? Are you intentional in your manifestations, or could you use some help? Tell us on the blog! Thoughts become things. Choose the good ones. –Mike Dooley, http://www.tut.com/inspiration/nftu If you found this post helpful, please share it with your friends! Authentically Yours, Laura
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