Flora Edwards
One afternoon, while standing in line at a grocery store, I overheard the young man ahead of me say that he was short $1.97. The embarrassment in his voice was palpable as he told the cashier he would need to put one item back. Without anyone asking for my help, I pulled the two dollars he needed out of my wallet so that he could complete his purchase. Astonished that a stranger would help him out, he told me that he had change in his car that he could repay me with. I thanked him for his offer and responded that he should simply do something nice for someone else. He left with everything he intended to buy and a smile on his face and I, in turn, paid for my items and left with a smile on my face also.
On the walk home, I was fascinated by the intense state of pleasure I was experiencing. I mean I only gave the guy two bucks, but that didn't matter. The act of giving something to a total stranger sent me to a state of euphoria.
On the walk home, I was fascinated by the intense state of pleasure I was experiencing. I mean I only gave the guy two bucks, but that didn't matter. The act of giving something to a total stranger sent me to a state of euphoria.
A few minutes later, I had returned home to find a movie in my mailbox. These seemingly unrelated events would inevitably become my teacher that day. The film was called Pay It Forward
. Before watching it, I had no idea what it was about. I just knew I liked the actors in it and thought the cover looked like it might be a good watch. Believe me, I was nicely surprised to learn that the subject of the film mirrored what just happened to me in the store.
. Before watching it, I had no idea what it was about. I just knew I liked the actors in it and thought the cover looked like it might be a good watch. Believe me, I was nicely surprised to learn that the subject of the film mirrored what just happened to me in the store.
For you see, in Pay it Forward, an extracurricular assignment is presented to the class where each student is encouraged to write a paper on how they would change the world for the better. Many sighs roared through the classroom, but one child took the assignment seriously.
He came up with the lofty idea to help three people. He didn’t want anything in return from these individuals with the exception that each of them must help three other random strangers, who in turn would help three other people and so on. This 'pay it forward' went beyond a simple assignment in a classroom and became a movement stretching across the nation.
There are no accidents in life. When the student is ready, the teacher arrives. This time the teacher was the young man in the store as well as this wonderful movie. Time has passed since that day, but I have never forgotten the lesson learned.
We reach this moment, where for the last several months I have been intending to change the identity of my company: change the logo, the brand, the website—basically, the works. I was in the midst of a massive personal transformation and the old company identity no longer suited me. So much so, that I found myself quaking with anxiety whenever anyone asked for my old website address. Don’t get me wrong, it was a lovely site and I have received many compliments on it over the years, but it had nothing to do with who I am now and the direction I am moving toward.
We reach this moment, where for the last several months I have been intending to change the identity of my company: change the logo, the brand, the website—basically, the works. I was in the midst of a massive personal transformation and the old company identity no longer suited me. So much so, that I found myself quaking with anxiety whenever anyone asked for my old website address. Don’t get me wrong, it was a lovely site and I have received many compliments on it over the years, but it had nothing to do with who I am now and the direction I am moving toward.
It took some time, but through inspiration, the new name of my company unmasked itself in my mind. From there, a friend of mine offered to create the logo and within a couple of attempts he came up with the perfect one just for me.
The next step would be, of course, to build the website. Much to my chagrin, my funds were low and I couldn’t afford to hire a professional designer to implement the new site. Months were passing, and I was becoming more agitated with each passing moment. Thankfully, I finally surrendered to the Universe, knowing it would work out when it was meant to work. The funny thing is, that is exactly when things started to happen for me. When I released my self doubt, the Universe created the circumstances for my new website to be born.
It was two weeks ago, when the friend who designed my logo contacted me out of the blue explaining rather matter-of-factly that he was going to build my new site, as well. He needed all the notes I had been taking over the last several months and from them, he would create the perfect site as a gift for me. He didn't expect nor did he want anything in return—not even the trade that I offered him. He simply said, that energetically speaking, he didn't want to ruin the gift.
There is little doubt how amazed and excited I was by his generous offer, because he was currently very busy with creating his own new company, and that was taking a lot of time. Nevertheless, I heard Louise Hay’s ‘voice’ (from the book You Can Heal Your Life) inside my head saying I should never turn away a gift, as accepting and receiving are equally important in keeping the flow of abundance for all parties moving. So, I gladly and gratefully accepted his offering.
The site was completed and it is perfectly aligned with who I am in this moment. Only one thing was left. It was my turn to offer gifts to others. I wasn't asked by anyone to do this, but in truth, I felt as though I had to pay this kindness forward to at least two people—and that is precisely what I did. I offered two of my friends twenty-four distant reiki sessions to help manifest whatever they desire. I was integrating all that I had learned about abundance into my life.
Shortly thereafter, I called my website building friend to tell him about my pay it forward that I was creating in his honor. It was then when he explained why he had decided to create my site in the first place, even though he was clearly very busy himself.
He said that he was given a very strong message from the Universe that he had to create it. He had to do it immediately and it had to perfectly represent my intentions. As he told me, I could feel the energetic truth in his words. I jumped up and enthusiastically exclaimed aloud, “I knew it!”—just as I had known that it was imperative for me to follow up by paying it forward myself. At the deepest levels of my soul, I could feel that the creating of the website would not only help me, but it would help him energetically with his flow of abundance. In turn, my reiki treatments would not only help my other friends, but myself with my flow of abundance. Their pay it forwards would not only help the recipients, but help my friends' flow of abundance, and so on. The seeds of abundance had been planted and I was truly witnessing the beauty of all these exchanges.
He said that he was given a very strong message from the Universe that he had to create it. He had to do it immediately and it had to perfectly represent my intentions. As he told me, I could feel the energetic truth in his words. I jumped up and enthusiastically exclaimed aloud, “I knew it!”—just as I had known that it was imperative for me to follow up by paying it forward myself. At the deepest levels of my soul, I could feel that the creating of the website would not only help me, but it would help him energetically with his flow of abundance. In turn, my reiki treatments would not only help my other friends, but myself with my flow of abundance. Their pay it forwards would not only help the recipients, but help my friends' flow of abundance, and so on. The seeds of abundance had been planted and I was truly witnessing the beauty of all these exchanges.
The great thing is that the story does not end there. Another two days had passed and as I was in the process of writing the first draft of this essay, I received an email from a stranger. She is a reiki master in Sonora who asked if I would be interested in reiki trade with her. I expressed that I would be interested, but not for another eighteen days as I was swamped with so many things at that time, including the giving away of two distant reiki sessions per day for twenty-four days—and I was frankly on overwhelm-mode. After that, I assured her that I would be happy to do a trade.
Through a few more email correspondences, I elaborated that I was also in the midst of creating my new business, writing two books, writing a metaphysical blog, working on my Master’s Degree in metaphysics, studying shamanism and on top of all that one of my brothers passed away six weeks earlier and I was helping my parents with support, reiki and anything else I could give. For obvious reasons I needed to focus on these intentions and after I was done helping my friends with their manifestations I would be delighted to do a trade. What I didn't tell her, but thought in my mind, was that I am truly blessed and happy for all the things that I am accomplishing, but clearly I was feeling the deluge coming down upon me.
Through a few more email correspondences, I elaborated that I was also in the midst of creating my new business, writing two books, writing a metaphysical blog, working on my Master’s Degree in metaphysics, studying shamanism and on top of all that one of my brothers passed away six weeks earlier and I was helping my parents with support, reiki and anything else I could give. For obvious reasons I needed to focus on these intentions and after I was done helping my friends with their manifestations I would be delighted to do a trade. What I didn't tell her, but thought in my mind, was that I am truly blessed and happy for all the things that I am accomplishing, but clearly I was feeling the deluge coming down upon me.
Within a few moments she emailed me back that she wanted the pay it forward to catch up with me now. She intended to send me reiki every day for twenty-four days, for use towards my highest good. She ended her declaration, by telling me to keep up the good work I was doing. After reading her words, my mouth dropped and I couldn't hold back the tears. There is little doubt that I was surprised that a stranger was giving me this powerful gift and I was grateful beyond measure for her kindness. The flow of abundance I was putting out there was once again circling back to me.
In the meantime, the two friends I am paying it forward to now are paying it forward themselves. One decided to give something special of hers to a different person everyday for thirty days and the other offered reiki to a friend who will be having surgery soon. This group pay it forward started with one generous act of kindness and has changed several people along the way. Within one week the pay it forward was spreading across three counties. Only time will tell how far this will go.
Paying it Forward helps to remind us that we are all connected. We were never intended to shut out others from our lives and live in a dog eat dog world. It’s not about me beating out everyone else and looking out for #1. It’s about supporting each other’s successes. We all promote the flow of abundance by giving and receiving. If you help a friend or a stranger for the sheer joy of it, without expecting anything in return for yourself, the Universe will automatically reward you.
To show my deep appreciation for all the parties that are involved in this round of the “pay it forward” flow of abundance to date, I am sharing all of their professional sites. I encourage anyone interested in their services to contact them directly.
First, to the person that started all this, my friend who created my site. Alan Chriest owns a company called PowerSplash Project that provides safety and behavioral solutions to various companies in the Bay Area and across the nation.
To learn more about April Walker, the Reiki Master in the Sonora area who contacted me, please visit Reiki Mind Body.
If you are anywhere in the world and would like a spectacular floral essence made specifically for manifesting your intentions contact Elizabeth di Lorimier at The Flowering Goddess.
You can find Anastasia Netri for Conscious Entrepreneurial Coaching.
Thank you for reading and Namaste! (The Light in me recognizes the Light in you!)
