Abundance

November 11, 2023

About twenty years ago, I enjoyed working with a man I will call Frank. He spent nearly his entire life fighting debilitating Clinical Depression. As many of us know, Depression can grab us and pull our whole body, mind and spirit into quicksand.

One day, Frank came to the office for his regular session and said he was particularly down and out. There was no apparent trigger, but he was feeling hopeless and lonely. Frank was not suicidal but said it would be OK if he were not alive.

Though he was married and had grown children, Frank considered his life a series of bad decisions that began in his teen years. His relentless inner critic continuously punished him for his perceived shortcomings. He was cut off from the flow of good waiting to come into his life.

This was not the first time Frank had come to the office in a dark Depression. But on this particular day, things were unusually grim, and he needed more than insight, support or exploration of feelings. He needed relief and fast!

“Do you want to feel better today, Frank?” I asked. He said, “Of course.” Then I said, “Do this - Go buy a flower and go straight to the nursing home. Ask the administrator who in the facility needs this flower today. Then come to my office this afternoon to let me know how you feel."

That afternoon, Frank appeared with a smile on his face. For some reason, he was out of this hopelessness and sadness. “What happened, Frank?” I asked. The following are his words:

I went to the nursing home like you said. They took me down a long corridor to a room with a lady in a wheelchair looking out the window; she looked sad. From behind her, I said, “Ma’am, I brought this flower for you to brighten your day.” The aide turned the older lady’s wheelchair around, and we gasped when we saw each other. Mrs. Young had been the precious lady next door who was my second mother when I was just a little boy. My friends and I always went to her house to play and have treats. Just seeing her brought such a flood of happiness that there is no way I could have left there sad. She was happy too! We found each other after over fifty years. I feel like something has opened up for me

Inquiry: Why do you think Frank could not continue being sad that day?

Dear God,

For serendipity, synchronicity and holy coincidence, I give you thanks. Amen.

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