“Do you have a hat yet?” she asked.
“No, but that’s on my list of things I want to bring.”
“I have one if you want to borrow it – a hat just for hiking. And the best thing about it?” She cupped her hands like she was holding a balloon, then brought them closer together. “You can squish it up and put it in your bag.”
This seems to happen to me nearly every day. Things, people, opportunities come to me. They come to you, too, if you start looking out for them – and believe that they exist.
The hat? That was my friend Elizabeth Anne who offered it. Remember the hike I wrote about yesterday? Well, did you wonder how I got from the end of my hike back to my car? Elizabeth Anne. She and a couple friends from my writing group just so happened to be taking a tour at Val-kill that day. They invited me to join them. I declined but said, “Hey – if I walk over there, would you mind bringing me back to my car after you’re done with your tour?’ They didn’t mind at all.
They picked me up and Madeline said, “I’ve got a lot of food at my house – leftovers from yesterday. Would you all like to come back and eat some of it?” Well yes. After walking nearly 8 miles, I’d love to! And also have the opportunity to spend more time with these lovely folks? My how I’m blessed!
I’m not usually one to quote the Bible. Nothing wrong with doing so, it’s just not something I find myself doing very often. But there’s some good stuff in there.
What this all brings to mind is Matthew 7:7 which says something along the lines of, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Those words always appear in my head in a song I sang a lot when I used to go to church. It’s a lovely tune by Karen Laffery.
“You get what you put out there,” people have said to me lately when I tell them of all my serendipitous moments. “The universe sends you what you need.” Indeed it does. Open your heart to it. See what comes to you. I’d love to hear about it:)
RenaissanceRebecca 
What I needed today was this reminder that asking for help – and being ready to receive it – is always the best practice. Thanks, too, for the link to the beautiful song. You continue to be a blessing, Rebecca, and I am most grateful to be sharing your journey.
I’m glad my post came just when you needed it LInda. Thanks for reading, and for sharing your comments with us:)
Like you, I have fallen away from the religious upbringing of my youth and throughout the years have found myself on a very different path, but I think it’s sweet that certain things from your church-going background still hold meaning and significance for you.
The saying that seems to mean the most to me now (at the ripe old age of 60) is the Buddhist quote, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear” Although I academically excelled beyond measure in my early education years, it seems to be only more recently that I am learning more about what is the most important in life.
My other favorite quote, “Always take the turn”, is culled from a former friend of mine; our book club had gone to her cottage in Michigan to hold that month’s meeting ion on the Warren Dunes beach at sunset; while we were on our way to the grocery store, there was a sign that said, “Pick fresh blueberries here” and she turned her car so quickly to the right, we were all piled upon each other in surprise! What followed was quite the alternative adventure that ended up highlighting the whole weekend for us, now many years ago, but still reminisced and remembered by all.
I now try to live as much of my life as possible in that way; unless I have a very pressing conflict, I go the way my life unfolds; I’ve met some amazing people, had some amazing experiences, and enthusiastically look forward to what may come next.
It sounds to me that much of your life is unfolding in a similar way; my one regret is that I didn’t learn/follow these lessons much earlier in life to have more time to have such wonderful experiences. I’m envious, but also very proud that you are doing this at your stage of life.
XOXO
(The “other Linda”)
Love the blueberry story, Linda! And the lesson of “Always take the turn.” I’d like to do that more often myself. Often I think, “Oh – I’ll stop on my way back,” and never do (often because I don’t take the same route back!)
The quote about the teacher appearing when the student is ready I have found to be so true over and over. I’m happy you’ve discovered all of this – regardless of what age you did so.
I just taught a class on organizing and decluttering last night and you saying you wish you had known all this earlier reminds me of something I tell my students a lot: Give yourself some credit! They would tell me, “I wanted to go through four boxes, but I only got through one.” My response: That’s great! You did one box!
So to you I say: Hooray! You’re living life in a much better place in your 60’s than a lot of people are in their 80’s. I give you lots of credit:)