I’d like to share a story about intention and desire that grew tall with deep roots in giving.
“It’s been great to sit back and think about all of the wonderful experiences where I have given and received in life.” This was the first comment Laurie made in our interview about my concept of “Give and Become Rich”. She went on to tell me a story about something someone gave her that still has an impact on her life.
One day while working in a 911 call dispatch job, she casually said to her co-worker, Lenore, “I want an oak tree. I love oak trees, and I have many other types of trees around me, but no oak trees.”
The following Monday, Lenore came into the office smiling. “I was hiking with my husband on the weekend,” she told Laurie, “and I brought you back your oak tree.” She held out a closed fist and said, “Here’s your oak tree,” and she dropped an acorn into Laurie’s hand.
Laurie and her friend laughed together. “In a 911 dispatch center, you have to lighten the mood often, so we were accustomed to silliness and fun in the workplace,” Laurie says.
Laurie, however, took the little oak seed seriously. She brought it home, planted it in soil, and tended to it, fully expecting it to manifest into her much wanted big and bold tree.
Eventually the tree sprouted. When the tree was about four inches tall, Laurie planted her in the yard of a home where she was staying temporarily. When she moved into her next home within a year, she dug up the small tree and planted it again in what is now the tree’s permanent residence. Laurie named the tree Lenore, after her colleague, who saw potential in the seed and her desire.
“My workplace colleague passed away a few years later,” Laurie says, “but her legacy lives on in my front yard. Lenore listened to what I had to say in a random conversation about wanting an oak tree. She proved her thoughtfulness by taking action and gave of herself to connect me and my tree. Her giving had nothing to do with money, but everything to do with taking action on something special for someone else.”
Lenore now has a thirty-foot-tall legacy growing in her honor. Her memory will live on for the next hundred years or more.
The Law of Giving
In every acorn is the promise of a thousand forests, provided that it is planted in fertile ground. Seeds are not meant to be hoarded. They must be sown, and so it is with our gifts that we have to give to others. They too must be sown.
Our bodies, our minds, and the universe all operate through a constant dynamic exchange of energy, which is comprised of giving and receiving. To stop this circulation of energy would be like stopping the flow of blood in our bodies. We would stagnate, rot, and die. We must consistently give and receive to maintain the flow of wealth and affluence in our lives.
As Spring sets upon us, let’s take action on giving what we can to others, whether they are gifts of service or thoughts of good intention. Also, let’s plant what we receive from others in fertile ground – it may be a compliment or a piece of constructive advice that we need to hear, internalize, and water with positive intention and desire to grow tall into our personal best.
Fresh blessings for a beautiful Spring,
Penny
p.s. If you liked this story, you will love my new book, Give and Be Rich. The second publisher I sent it to loved it as well, and I have a contract. I guess the seed of intention to produce a book that will change millions of lives, and raise millions for charity has just sprouted. I will be watering it with love and attention this spring, and you will be able to receive it by late summer 2012. Your readership and following is a large part of why I have been selected as an author with great potential, and I am grateful for your continued support. You can pre-order your copies, and explore more of our website, to learn more about creating a circle of abundance.