An Unexpected Gift

So often I get hit by the darker side of life; the kind of things that slow me down, weigh me down, drag me down. So when something wonderful happens, I want to dance. And it doesn’t take a big thing to make my heart sing and my feet lighter.

Yesterday was one of those days. I got a package by UPS. Not my mail-order prescriptions. Or my son’s monthly food supplement. Not anything mundane and most definitely items that I never, in a million years, would have guessed.

My cousin, Penny, from Colorado, sent me package. Not a big package; just a small, square box. I didn’t have a clue what would be inside. I had a kitchen full of people. My husband sitting at the kitchen table, my older son standing in the kitchen doorway, my younger son, in his wheelchair, were all watching me open the box. My middle-grandson, JJ, stood by my side. I had more trouble keeping his hands away from my package because I wasn’t opening it fast enough to suit him.

The first thing I saw was a good-sized rock, and the sticky-note attached had my older son’s name on it. What in the world? Then I understood, and I got so tickled, I giggled. Then I saw the looks on the faces of those around me and the giggle became full-blown laughter.

Because I knew what the rocks were. I wasn’t sure about the bigger, wrapped package, but when I opened it I laughed again because inside was an old jar full of dirt. Such a strange object to fill me with joy.

For weeks, I’ve been following my cousin, Penny, on her walks. She uses her walks to think about things of a Spiritual nature. She communes with God. On her walks, she is drawn to objects, birds, nature and often finds rocks that identify themselves to her in strange and wonderful ways.

She sent me the rocks that represent me and my family. Each rock holds a meaning. The amazing thing is, she passed them to me. And they mean something to me. I feel an attachment to these rocks. Spirit shared. How wonderful.

The jar is a bit different. Penny is aware of my current burden/blessing(?) and her gift to me lets me know that she walks this particular path with me. She understands and helps uplift me. The jar is an old, dirty thing, full of fine silt-like dirt. I don’t believe I’ll empty the jar yet. The dirt holds meaning for me too. But I understand that she shares my burden. She can’t carry it for me, but she uplifts my Spirit. What a wonderful gift.

I follow Penny as she blogs: http://pennify.blogspot.com/ Her writing always touches my heart. She has the gift of seeing the heart, in people and in situations. She’s one of the most God-centered people I know. So getting my box of rocks from her is a true gift that touches my heart.

I’m not sure yet what I will do with my ‘gift’. I am getting a strong feeling that it’s time for me to build a tiny ‘Zen’ garden. I’m going to center myself on this project. I don’t think I’m meant to go ‘buy’ items for my garden. I think I’m supposed to wait, and be observant, and the items that I’m supposed to have will come to my attention.

I will keep you updated on this project. I have a feeling the project will bring me many more ‘gifts’ as I learn to be in harmony with God. I sometimes forget to ‘wait and listen’. It’s a time for me to re-connect and open up and wait for the gifts to come.

The best gifts don’t cost a single penny. They come from the heart, from unexpected places, and arrive when they are most needed.