A Funny Thing Happened To Me The Other Day...

It was a beautiful fall Sunday here in San Diego and I was out doing my weekly shopping. I pulled into a parking spot at the grocery store when the realization hit me. I’m sure that you have experienced it, the instant of dread when you realize you’ve lost your wallet. I knew exactly where I had left it, I had made note of its location while I was wheeling my cart to my car at the previous store. It was sitting right in the front of the basket and I had actually thought to myself, “Make sure that you don’t forget the wallet in the cart”, then I proceeded to unload the groceries and push the cart to the return rack, leaving my wallet sitting right there. Now I was a good 10 minutes away and my mind started to whirlwind. Could it still be there? Will the carts already of been picked up? Will I get it back? Will I have to go through the hassle of canceling all of my cards? “Crap, this is a bad time for this!”(as if there is a good time for it!) My mind was racing faster than my truck was as I sped back to the store, but then I stopped myself and said “Expect the best.” It’s taken me some years to realize that when I expect the best I very often get it. Now in this moment of panic, I slipped right back into my default mode of “anticipate the worst, hope for the best.” Now I had to challenge my old mode of thinking, why should I anticipate the worse? I have always been the kind of person who sought to return lost items to their rightful owners, many times going well out of my way. Why shouldn’t I expect for the Universe to help my wallet and its contents to find their way safely home to me? And so I did. I took a deep breath, slowed the truck down to the speed limit and just expected the best.

As I pulled into the parking lot I saw that the carts had not yet been picked up. Filled with hope, I pulled in front of the cart rack and jumped out of the truck and began my search for my wallet in the long line of carts. My heart sank as I realized that the wallet was no longer there. But then I heard someone yelling behind me and as I turned I saw a petite brunette woman running towards me holding my wallet over her head with one hand and pointing to it with the other. I ran to meet her and she quickly explained that she had peeked at my license and recognized me from the picture. I thanked her, gave her a big hug and asked if I could give her a little something for her trouble. She just smiled, waving her hand declining my offer. “No no, just pay it forward.” I had a huge smile. Pay it forward is one of my favorite concepts and I was very happy with her request. I assured her that I would indeed pay it forward and I returned to my truck to continue on with my day.

As I drove off I couldn’t help but reflect on other similar instances that I have experience in my life and how different the outcomes had been. I have been actively working on myself for over twenty years. Learning and growing through trial and error. This episode drove home one of my greatest lessons; the power of positive thinking, and looking back it was so clear to see just how far I have come. I like the new me much better.

Blessings,
Kelly

“It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.”
~William Somerset Maugham