“Mom, didn’t you say you were going to take us to a play about Camelot?”
I’d lost the note I’d written. At the beginning of April, I’d discovered a college production of a funny version of King Arthur and Camelot. I’d forgotten to buy tickets and the date was fast approaching. “Will, I’m glad you reminded me. I’ll get online and find out where to get tickets after we get back from the hardware store.”
__________
We’d gone to Home Depot under the guise of exploring options for a homeowner repair. We came home with a pile of seed packets instead.
They each got to select a couple different packets for their corner of the garden. Jenny selected celosia, forget-me-nots and celery. She doesn’t actually like celery but her imaginary friend does. Will selected a packet of habanero seeds and sweet onions. I picked basil, California Poppies, hollyhocks, and nasturtiums. I’m sure there were more in there.
When we got to the car I was still gasping at the receipt. “How did we manage to spend $22 on seed packets?! Who spends that much on random packets of seeds that may or may not even grow? How is it that I scour pawn shops for golf clubs and second hand clothing stores for jeans and golf shoes, yet I throw away $22 on seeds?”
Jenny said, “Mom, call it school.”
Will said, “Mom, call it food.”
I said, “Ah, yeah… habaneros and basil? Food? That’s a bit of a stretch, even for us.”
By the time we’d gotten home, I’d given myself a thorough tongue-lashing. When I sat down in front of the laptop to search for tickets for the play, I was still mumbling to myself about how I shouldn’t have spent so much on seeds when I told the kids I was taking them to a play, and now I have to shell out even more money for tickets.
I Googled the name of the play and the first hit to pop up was a site explaining that the play started that very night. We had originally talked about going on Friday night, but tonight there was a showing for free admission with a donation of food for the local food bank. When I had first checked on ticket prices, there wasn’t any mention of the first night showing with free admission.
“You guys! You guys! We could go to the play tonight and save the cost of tickets by bringing cans of food with us. But you won’t believe this…. If we go on Friday night, the tickets would total $22!”
Will said, “Hey, isn’t that we spent on the seeds today?”
Jen said, “Isn’t it weird that they are the same amount?”
I said, “Maybe it’s not that weird.”
Jen said, “So we get to go to the play for free?”
I said, “Well, it’s not exactly free, honey, because we are bringing cans of food.”
Just then, I looked at the laptop screen to see notification that I’d sold another book, giving us essentially enough to cover the costs of the cans of food.
Tags: a girl can dream, cuz I am Woman, gratitude, humor, life, Parenting, proactive, school, survive
Beautiful story! How was the play?
Jenny,
Thanks. The play was silly and funny. Just what we needed.
Doesn’t it usually work that way? I once put my last $20 in the offering plate at church..it was an ‘urge’ to do so. Do you know that I received $50 in the mail within a few days? It was a refund of some sort. Weird or a faith building measure? I have to say that I have done it a few times since then and it always works out somehow.
Take note…someone is looking out for you. :)
Z,
I can think of at least four other times when this has worked. In each case, it was a situation where I didn’t feel I had the spare cash, but my heart told me I “needed” to give to someone or something. And as in your case, a windfall arrived.
I think it behooves us to acknowledge and appreciate the process.
It was great to have my kids see it happen.
It seems the Universe winked at you. I love it when that happens. Blessings to you and yours Jesse!
This story gives me hope, and I have stories that remind me too that somehow ends will meet, and we still have a roof over our heads!
Take care . . .
Lynn,
Funny you should mention the roof over your heads. It was raining like crazy last night and our roof was leaking. I can tell my kids are well-schooled on looking at the bright side of things. All three of us were saying, “You know, it could be worse, there could be drips in every room of the house, not just in the living room.”
My work is done here. ;)
I can tell you have beautiful and marvelous kids–a tribute to you and to them!!!
I love the perspective all of you have.
When I was young we lived in a very old farmhouse and had buckets everywhere when it rained. The fun I had on that farm easily made up for all the buckets! : )
Take care and thank you again for writing!
Lynn,
The fun we have definitely tips the scale in the right direction. ;)