I am a single parent of two children. I have worked very hard and devoted my life to my children. I have two jobs, and I feel tired to the bone. I was hoping that if I could afford to move, I could move to a cheaper place and save $200 a month and put that towards food. Or, I dreamed that if money ever came into my life, I would buy myself some new clothes, and try to find a better job where I could earn more money for myself and my children.
Completely and absolutely out of the blue, I was in a session with Bev and she handed me an envelope. There was no warning to this, she just had a silly grin on her face and handed me the envelope and said it was for me. I opened it up, and it was full of money. There was someone that she knew that wanted to give back to society, and to someone who would really need this money and be with gratitude around it. Of course, all I did was cry and ask what I did to deserve this? She explained nothing except that is was simply an act of kindness on someone’s behalf and it felt good in their heart, and was an opportunity for me to know that I’m not alone.
As I write this, I have found a new place to live and I used the money to hire movers and move me and my kids to a cheaper place. I feel so grateful. The beauty of this is that there were no expectations of getting anything, it just kind of fell from the sky.
When Bev asked me if I wanted to write about gratitude, I smiled and said that on the deepest level I know exactly how gratitude feels and I want to share that with others. My heart feels so open and I feel so grateful.
Claire
A very long time ago, I had a chance to be the giver but I was blind to the need of the receiver. A very dear friend (who remains so, today) was pregnant with her 3 child, raising 2 youngsters as a single mom on welfare. I stopped by for tea one day and was so caught up in my own “designer life” that I missed seeing her painful situation. Fast forward 24 years… Together we have revisited those bleak times, my ignorance and my growth. It took a long time for me to see what I could have done differently – and I now consider myself a consummate giver. My selfishness was forgiven – I am working on accepting that forgiveness.
Heather, thank you for sharing your experience and the powerful growth you have gone through. It sounds like you have a wonderful friendship that has grown strong over the years. Dear friends are a gift to be cherished. Bev
Hi Claire, I was pleased to hear of your gift envelope. I have worked hard and lived cheaply and am now in the position where I can afford to help out others financially some. I am loathe to spend money on myself, but I am now aware of the Pugh Friends In Dire Need Envelope System. Glad it worked for you, and I shall look into it.