Encounters              --- by Ray Hart

"Miracles are natural.
When they do not occur something has gone wrong." (ACIM)

Every time I move into a new living space I always vow that it will be the last move I ever make. And since we have moved about seven times since we came to the mainland in 1995 I sorta got the idea that my vows are completely senseless. So now that we have moved to Signal Hill in Long Beach I vowed not to vow. It's easier that way.

Of course the stress of moving still hangs out a little. But, all things considered, I have had the miracles that usually happen in my life. One particular miracle was (and still is!) our ever loving friend, Glenna. You might know her from her previous column in PNN, From Victim to Victor. She has been an angel in several other moves, including the one from Kauai, five years ago.

Our planned moving date was Saturday, the 26th. Glenna arrived on Friday to help on her way to Durango. The fact that she was not working and was able to be with us was out of the ordinary. That she also made the stopover in Los Angeles to be with us was Glenna's ordinary expression of love. Needless to say she joined with Joy to pack boxes, upon boxes, upon boxes. She made it absolutely clear that I was not to lift a finger nor feel any guilt about being unable to assist at all. I was literally horizontal, hooked up to a constant oxygen supply, looking like the very next breath would be my last. I refused to go to the hospital until after the move was completed. Sorta like not stopping to ask for direction when one doesn't know which way to go! Know what I mean?

The two guys from The Starving Students arrived and before doing anything we were asked how we would pay. By credit card of course. Then they did the look around to see what there was to move. I noticed the guy who was obvious in charge rolling his eyes. When he called in our credit card verification he told us that we didn't have enough to cover the possibility of extended hours. Gee, I thought, I knew I had a little over nine hundred. Guess I'll have to use two cards. Nope. No way. And then Glenna, being the loving angel she is, offered her card which she had just activated the day before.

Yeah, okay, but I really didn't think we would need it.

I went over to the new place. I guessed it was a little after two in the afternoon. When the sun went down over the San Pedro hill I watched it from our new home. The movers hadn't arrived, nor had Joy stopped by to let me know what was happening. Well, it was around about three in the morning when we finally bid Tom and Robert farewell. And with over a thousand dollars from Glenna's credit card! Holy cow!

The next couple of days Glenna was there all the way to help unpack things (we are still unpacking a couple hundred boxes.) and I clearly understood that we were all sharing another ordinary continuing miracle. And Glenna was the angel that made the delivery.

Joy had written a song as a result of a move from Pittsburgh when we had so much stuff packed in, on, and around our old Dodge that the brakes and shocks would have most certainly gone if we hadn't stopped at a motel two miles down the road and unloaded most of the accumulated treasures. (We simply gave most of it away at an impromptu "moving sale"!) The name of Joy's song is "You Gotta Get Rid Of The Old Stuff!"

Remembering, I am determined to put a lot of treasures in the garage for the next garage sale! But I vow that...Well, never mind. I'll simply say thanks to my Higher Power and I'll pick up Glenna at LAX when she arrives Tuesday. Hey! Who knows? Maybe she'll help to move things into the garage? Hmmmm.......

--- © by Ray Hart

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