“In helping others, we shall help ourselves.For whatever good we give out completes the circle,and comes back to us.”  – Rumi, in ‘Essential Sufism‘

Everyone who knows me, knows I love to give: Hugs, smiles, laughs, a helping hand, an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on. It makes me happy, and by being happy, I can better make others happy. And the circle continues.

This is a (true) short tale about being in tune with your spirit, open, and allowing yourself to truly connect with, and therefore follow your spirit (gut, intuition) and not remain in your head (thoughts, ego).

I have been feeling like a head cold is trying to catch me all day today. So much so that I took a Benadryl – which I never do, except at night. It made me so tired, I thought I would try to lie down for awhile this afternoon, although napping, for me, is an impossibility. I only lay down for five minutes when something told me to go out and complete a couple errands, all of which could have waited.

I went out and stopped at Safeway to pick up a couple of things and heard this sweet voice behind me as I was leaving, saying in her Indian accent, “Hello, my dear……how are you?” I turned around and it was this (east) Indian lady who works there that I’ve seen off and on for years. She is older than I am (ancient), and has the most beautiful spirit that just shines as bright as the diamond stud in the side of her nostril. She helps collect carts, bag items, and carry out groceries, (which I let her “assist” with – pushing my cart, at her request, so we can talk occasionally). I once saw her walking home at least a mile from the store and felt even more impressed with her gentle spirit, always a smile, always a good word.

I said, “How are you? I haven’t seen you for so long!” impulsively hugging her, something we have never done. She hugged me tightly back, smiling. I spurted out, “You look so beautiful!” which I meant, but it made her smile twice as big and she gave me another hug, thanking me, wishing me a happy Thanksgiving, as I did her.

I then went Trader Joe’s, my home away from home, and as I was going in, I looked at all of the beautiful fall flowers, thinking of buying some, but deciding not to. There was a young guy there buying roses, and he asked me which color I preferred. I said, “Well, my ex-husband, many, many years ago used to buy me my favorites- ‘Oldtimers’- which were orange, so of course I’d go for the orange ones.” He said he was thinking maybe those too, that the red are too ordinary, and his wife was anything but. (All together now: “awww…”)

I said, “What a lucky lady! I can’t even remember the last time a man bought me flowers! Happy Thanksgiving to you both!” He thanked me and wished me the same.

He had just checked out and I was in the same line he had been in, 2 people behind. He smiled and waved as he left the store. When I got up to the cashier and paid for my five items, the girl said, “These are for you.” and handed me a bunch of the flowers (pictured)- orange, of course.” I said, “For me? From Trader Joe himself?” laughing. She said, “No- a man who just left bought them for you and told me to tell you that ‘you deserve them too,’ and you’d know what he meant.”

Made me a little misty that I never found a man like that myself, but the bigger emotion was marveling at how you truly do get back what you give out, always, in all ways.   Something easy, give a kind word, a gesture to others, and they come back to you 100 times over. Love will always beget love.