"Giving and Receiving Are One and the Same." The beauty of an unexpected incident.

This past weekend I went to my first Jason Mraz concert. My friend Eric had pretty much told me what to expect since he has shared the stage with him. Check out the end of Eric's rap, I took my camera out too late. :-(

I have to say I was blown away by the experience! The drive there, the atmosphere, the venue,the fact that it was free, the people, Brett Dennen who I love, the non-profit booths (chose one at random to donate to and when I saw who it was I saw God), and of course Jason himself. (Click here
to see the blog he called an amazing yet not suprising story.) What a gracious being! Some of you ladies have asked me about him and a young woman with certain kind of eyes, ;-) asked me to describe him in one word. Beautiful I replied. He truly is a beautiful soul. Because of that beauty he thought to bring along the gratitude tents and there is where I found God. Huh? You ask? Was he/she/it the volunteer tending to the gratitude tent and playing the board games with strangers? In a way...well yes.

If you've been reading my blogs you've seen me write about my struggle with asking for help. I give openly with all my heart never expecting anything in return because I believe that what you put out IS what you get back. However I struggle to ask for help and receive, so guess what? The universe has stepped in. ;-) As I played the Abounding River game, check me and Danielle out playing with the volunteer,

my first card asked me to repeat to someone playing with me three times the following phrase, GIVING AND RECEIVING ARE ONE AND THE SAME. Upon reading it I got teary eyed, looked Danielle straight in the eye and affirmed it three times. Then I smiled at God. Alright already, I get it and I love you too. ;-) That phrase has resonated so strongly with me since and today it managed to be ever so present as an unexpected incident took over my day.

I make quite a drive to my yoga studio, CreekSide Wellness
, because it is a dojo in Topanga Canyon in the middle of nature with a creek flowing by and an amazing teacher. Today I decided to go because I haven't been in a while and I could really use the serenity as I prepare myself for quite the journey with UNICEF and the Rome Film Festival this weekend. I want to be PRESENT and I knew Patrice's class, AJ's presence, and Bev's smile would remind me to do just that. When I was almost there I had called Bev to ask her if it may be cancelled since it was raining pretty strong, for LA, and she told me no. I told her I would see her shortly. As I continued my drive I saw this.

Yet again I smiled at God, thinking to myself yes I know everything always arrives Just in Time! Within a few miles I was met by someone trying to cross an intersection in their car while I was a few steps from them in the rain. As he pulled out my body went into shock and I thought he really isn't attempting this is he?! But he was and he had no room to do so. The next thing I knew I was honking at him to alert him and swerved to my right to avoid hitting him on his door and to hit his passenger door instead. Something I did not realize until later and when I did I also realized that something/someone was with me in that moment and that was what prompted me to react so quickly in such a short time span and avoid hitting him. This I know for sure! I sat in my car in shock grateful that no one was in the next lane so when I swerved I didn't involve anyone else. I can I honestly tell you I had just one thought as it happened, "God please don't let anything happen to me as I have so much yet to do and it starts with UNICEF and Rome." I looked to my left and a woman who was in the meridian and had seen the whole thing mouthed to me, "Are you okay?" I smiled and shook my head as tears rolled down my eyes. I called Bev and told her where I was and stepped out of the car to meet Duane.

Duane had nothing but fear in his eyes when I met him and from that moment I knew like much of the country right now he is struggling. I called the cops and they told me to call my insurance company and handle it myself since no one was injured. REALLY?!! Okay what else could I do? So I did just that. A sheriff happened to drive by since my car was blocking most of Ventura, as you can see here.

I was blocking the road because the impact broke my axle and my car could not move. I told the Sheriff what had happened and when he saw the small bruise and cut on my hand he told me to call the police and demand a report be filed because I had a minor injury. They lined the road with flashers and left. Really? You're leaving?! I attempted to get things under control as my emotions were taking over me. As I was being rained on and all my stuff was on the car floor I turned around and was met by my GOD sent angel Deanna. The same woman who had mouthed to me, Are you okay, had returned. She looked at me and said, "I saw you and you looked so sweet and I had to come back and see that you were okay." I fell apart in her arms. For not only did I now have a witness to contradict the story Duane had made up due to his fear but the universe had sent help and I was able to receive it just in time. (We had just both finished crying in this picture because when I told her my name she told me it was her daughter's bestfriend's name and they had just move here from San Francisco and she missed her so much)

I told her what Duane told the cops and she told me not to worry that she would go to court if she had to. Sadly Duane was being overtaken by his fear and had created a reality where he had made it across and I should have slowed down. The reality is had I not swerved into the next lane I would have hit him instead of the rear door, as you can see in this picture below.

I was saddened by what he was trying to do but I was aware that he was scared and in a lot of pain or he wouldn't be throwing me under the bus to save himself. His story didn't make sense to anyone, not even the cops or sheriffs. So I decided to turn him over to God and asked God to guide him. I could just feel that this was the last thing he thought he needed but I trust God enough to know that we all go through everything for a reason, so all I ask is that Duane's eyes are open enought to see it. He had a limp and that added to how bad I felt for him. He had no cell phone either so he kept having to go to the payphone. At this point Bev had arrived. When we were done I went over to Duane. I put my hand on his arm and I said "Duane it's an accident and the important thing is we are alive." For the first time I saw less fear in his eyes as he looked at me and said, "Yes we are alive."

As we parted ways all of it started to sink in. My blessings! I was five minutes from Bev's house, I was without a car but it didn't matter because in three days I leave the country and it would probably be fixed by the time I was back, I met an amazing woman who wanted to help a stranger so in my world once more I met God. Oh and now I would have to accept that giving and receiving ARE one in the same. It was becoming so clear. I needed to receive a ride to the doctor, the grocery store, and back home from Bev. I thought really?! The woman is already like my mom, here in LA, do we need to give her more to do?! Then I silenced the independent woman in me, smiled at God and thought I see you, you got it and I'll receive. Thank you for letting me be alive to receive.

Sadly I can't get Duane off my mind. Something is going on there and I know God's got it. His lessons will be just that his lessons BUT I ask you to send him and his family your love, light, and prayers! My car was damaged pretty bad and this not going to be cheap. Please ask God if you may what I always ask of God. I say, God I trust you are already there so all I ask is that they find the courage and strength to believe in that which they can not see and feel your presence and rest their worries upon you. I leave you with gratitude for being able to be here in this moment and type this today! I ask you to be careful in the rain in LA or anywhere and be mindful of others for the life you change forever doesn't necessarily turn out to be just yours. I am giving Duane love and I know I am receiving love! I see it in all of you who take time out of your day to read this.

What I walk away with the most today is affirming my belief that life is short, can change in an instant, and that YES I am right in following my heart even if to some I remain a witch for choosing to trust the creator for all I have not seen. The truth is seeing you, this planet and all its inhabitants has taught me to trust in that which I can only feel in my heart! Right now I feel the need to receive. I got it God I do. Thank you for allowing me to see the beauty in this day! I am off to give my body the rest it's asking for. In the words of Walt Whitman,

Love the earth and sun and animals,
Despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks,
Stand up for the stupid and crazy,
Devote your income and labor to others...
And your very flesh shall be a great poem.

LIVE AS IF TODAY WERE YOUR LAST DAY FOR THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES AND GIVE TRUSTING THAT IF YOU ALLOW LIFE TO GIVE TO YOU, YOU WILL RECEIVE ALL YOU NEED AND MORE JUST IN TIME!