Mining for Gold

A couple of weeks ago Mark and I flew to New York to attend what had promised to be a deeply transformational sound healing event. We were not disappointed.

And, as if to confirm our sense of knowingness about participating in this co-creation, the moment we said YES, our plans effortlessly fell into place. Airline tickets were obtained in exchange for mileage points and a deeply discounted hotel room at a fine hotel in midtown Manhattan was also arranged (one of the perks of Mark’s corporate J.O.B.).

Airline travel was made easy and almost pleasant with the “random” TSA pre-approval stamp that magically appeared on my boarding pass. For those of you living outside of the US, this is the holy grail. You get to go through security with your shoes on and without removing your computer, liquids and half of your clothing just like old times. And our flights and connections were smooth and uneventful.

It didn’t stop there. We also got to enjoy a few “bonus” gifts as well. To the uninitiated, what I’m about to share may not feel so magical, which is why it’s so important to view things from a variety of perspectives.

After a smooth trip into NYC, we arrived at our hotel room to discover that the ventilation system wasn’t working. It was 75 degrees F and, for safety reasons, the windows didn’t open. No big deal. We simply called the front desk who sent someone up to investigate. The maintenance guy was unable to correct the problem so they upgraded us. Wow, really? Thanks so much. The Universe wanted to gift us with a much bigger room. How cool is that! I used to live and work in Manhattan and had never seen the inside of one of these rooms. Now that I’ve had a taste of what it feels like to be treated like a rock star (this years American Idol winners had just left the hotel the day before we arrived) it gives me a new reference point for creating what I desire. Oh, yeah, and there was a fabulous organic juice/raw food takeaway shop about a 5 minute walk from our hotel. Score!

But wait, there’s more! Being a Brooklyn girl born and bred, no trip to New York would be complete without a visit with the family. In my mind I had visualized a pleasantly memorable experience for my dad, so I suggested that we all get together in NYC. I remembered that dad had recently shared some stories about how much he enjoyed a couple of plays he’d attended so I thought he would enjoy it. Although dad has some mobility issues this hadn’t interfered with his adventures last time we spoke so I didn’t give it a second thought.

The next thing I knew things went south as the conversation was steered towards a gathering that would be centered around a meal, which I had deliberately tried to avoid. I choose to eat very differently than most of my family, and I didn’t want the focus of our get-together to be about the food. Ah, the best laid plans! In some of their eyes I was seen as having flown 3,000 miles but would not take a subway and a bus to visit our dad. Huh? Well I guess that’s one way to look at it but it certainly wasn’t my reality.

In the end some of us met at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, where my dad used to volunteer as a tour guide. He was truly in his element and enjoyed the day that graced us with beautiful sunshine and flowers. No guilt or manipulation required.

A few of my takeaways from this adventure:

• Overall, things flow smoothly when we are following our hearts
• We are loved and supported by the universe beyond our wildest imaginings
• Whatever we think we want, there is usually something even greater available to us. All we need to do is to stay open and receive.
• Sometimes what looks like an obstacle is really a blessing in disguise
• Gratitude and forgiveness can shift any situation

Have you noticed how well things tend to flow in your life when you are following your heart’s desires? Is there occasionally what may initially seem like a pile of poop that you can you turn into golden nugget? Consider this your challenge.