I Should Have Known!

So I was having on of those days when I questioned everything about why I am here on this planet, in London the whole deal. It was spurred by the fact that money is tight and I cannot access the money in my accounts due to bureaucracy that seems to never end. I had about 6 quid on me for the day and I had my oyster card to get where I need to go for a meeting. I set off for the 2.5 hour journey to meet with a school head master is a very posh section of East London.

On the way I hit my journal pretty hard to write out my misgivings. When I boarded the last overland train I reminded myself that I had enough money for supper and to make my way to my meetings and I got to start on an outline for a story. So all in all things were evening out. Until…

I get to the station I was rerouted to on time only to discover that my original route had a benefit I did not realise until it was too late. I get to the gate tap my travel card and the gate remained closed. The nice man at the gate tried to help me, but then he smiled and said, "Your card is only good through zone 6, you my dear are outside of zone 6." So to my dismay, I had to cough up an extra 3 quid and I was on my way up the steep hill to meet the head master. About a block away I got the call, that the head master had to leave and would not be there nor would his friend, a head master at a neighbouring school be there either. Let's just say that it was not one of my shining moments.

So after I calmed myself I went to a grocery shop to see if I could find some vittles to for the long journey home. I found a gluten free roll, some meat and goat cheese and I wanted some fruit, but it would have put me over my remaining balance. I started to dig through my bag in search of loose change. Nothing! At that moment the questioned washed over me again and I wanted to sit on the floor and scream, "WHY?"

As I pulled my face from my bag, I heard a woman say, "Have you done it?"

"No, done what?" I said cautiously as I was not even sure she was addressing me.

"Have you gotten the voucher, they are giving away £20 vouchers."

"What!"

"Yeah, I couldn't believe it. I sent my daughter and it is true."

"Did you have to do anything?"

"All you have to do is walk up to that woman and say, 'Brioche, '" she whispered to me.

"Thanks, I am going right now!"

I calmly walked with my four items to the woman at the door. I leaned in and said the magic word. "Well done on you," she said as she handed me the golden voucher. Can you believe it! £20, that's $40.

Well I just about cried. God has a way of telling me to keep going when I reach the edge of the plank only to add an extension at the exact second my step would send me plummeting into the abyss. I know this may seem like coincidence or nothing great, but for me at that moment it was sweet grace and another way that I know that there is something bigger and more complex in the universe that this existence. It is a force that is both stretching and nurturing at the same time. I like to call this force GOD and moments like this let me know that I can trust Him and that He loves me no matter how I am feeling.

It makes me smile for a long time.