Miracles Still Happen, Even in Alameda: Hope Gives Us Strength ......11/4/12

      Well, today was one of those days----they don't happen too often to me. It was a frightful day, several times! Golly.

I lost my wallet. Afterwards, for several hours I was stunned.  I'm feeling a bit better, now.  When it happened, emotionally it felt
like I was sucker punched.  I was reeling. I lost it while riding my bike with my friend, Stuart.

   My Gratitudes for Today:
1. I'm thankful that I'm using this experience as an opportunity to be gentle towards myself. I haven't lost my wallet since I was twenty-two.  Ouch.
2. I called my bank and my cards are now cancelled. I'm getting new ones.
3. I appreciate Stuart's support, when this happened. He was kind, he didn't make me feel stupid----not that he would.
4. I'm grateful for my emotions.
      When this loss happened I felt the intensity of them. It's okay have feelings, even the negative ones.  I did.  I let them wash over me, and then I released them.
5. I needed to speak with someone about an issue that frustrated me, related to him.

      I did this after I lost my wallet. I was calm, even though my mind was elsewhere and disturbed, shocked by the loss of this afternoon. I'm thankful for learning how to express my concerns without using shame, blame, guilt, fear or judgment.  He was able to hear me, because I spoke graciously.

      Thank God for maturity, placing principles above the vulnerable parts of my personality.
6. It was interesting that I felt tears well up inside---tears of frustration.

        It was not frustration with the fellow I was speaking to, but about today's events. I'm glad I don't shut them off, and I was aware of them.  I felt the fullness of my feelings without being overwhelmed by them.

        That's a healthy response: feeling, grieving, letting the tumultuous feelings go and then determining my options, considering my circumstances.  Life is all about perspective, isn't it?

--------------NEWSFLASH------NO FOOLING!--------

        Just as I typed the last paragraph, I got a call.

        Yup, it happened.

         A policewoman asked, "Are you Pablo Fuentes?  I'm with the Alameda Police........."  Before she said anything else,  I exclaimed, "are you calling me because you found my wallet??!!"

          I can be a bit exuberant, if you didn't know. I AM Latin, after all.  :->

          "Yes, H and I Security found it, on the corner of Davey Jones and Island Ave., in Harbor Bay (a nice part of the City of Alameda)," she said with a smile in her voice.  She was not accustomed to unvarnished enthusiasm from an elated adult citizen.

          "I have goosebumps all over me, because of your call. Thank you!!!" I enthused.

          "I'm heading over to your home, to deliver it to you." Can you beat that?? I didn't think so.

           With that information, I thanked her and waited outside. I called Stuart, letting him know what happened.  He was excited too, and he doesn't get excited.

           God is good, isn't He?  Wow!

*************************************

           I just got in from getting my wallet from the policewoman. All the money, cards and I.D. are there, in place.  Am I lucky.

           During this afternoon's ride I lost a glove.  They prevent my hands from bleeding, when I crash, something that has happened five times since March. That's what can happen when you are putting in 500-600 miles a month, feel athletic and move pretty fast, like, 30-40 miles an hour.

           My cycling buddy, Stuart and I doubled back on our ride and found the glove.  After riding along the south shore of the island and mountain biking a rougher, sandier, rockier portion of the shore, I noticed I lost my beloved cyclometer, it fell off its holder on my handlebar.

           We retraced our path three miles and we found it.  It's only one-and-half inches by one-and-a-quarter inch.  It could have been picked up by the many who walked along the shore, but nope, there it was, waiting for us.

           You don't know this about  me. I'd die without it.  Without it, I wouldn't ride my bike, I must confess.  That's a fact.  It keeps track of the miles, to one-tenth of a mile, the speed of my efforts to one hundredth of a second, for  each ride.  I log this info on my computer.  I love seeing measurable progress.

           I wanted to treat Stuart to a sandwich, in celebration of finding the little computer when I realized I did not affix my wallet too well to my rack---it was gone.  Yikes!

          And now, you know the rest of the story, how my day went.  There were many fluctuations of emotions. I'm bushed, but happy.  I've been up since 4:00 a.m. this morning.  I'm tuckered out, hitting the hay.
           But there's a smile on my lips and much gratitude within my heart.  Life is good.

           You know what went through my head when I thought of my lost the wallet---my driver's license, the money inside and all my cards? You want to know the truth?  You could ask Stuart. He could vouch for the said events and my comments.

            I quoted this passage to this friend of more than 25 years:

"Ah Lord God, thou has created the heavens and the earth by thine outstretched arm, nothing is too difficult for thee."  Jeremiah 32:17

  I believed  he could cause a miracle.

            By his grace, he did.

            Having hope overcomes feelings of depression and certainly reduces our need for counseling.
How About You? 
What is a recent miracle you've experienced in your life? I'd love hearing your stories.