It happened again last week.
As I watched the all-too-familiar scene unfold, I couldn’t help but laugh.
And then pause.
Because clearly, Life was offering me a mirror.
A reminder about freeing ourselves from scarcity and living in abundance.
It’s what we say we WANT—and yet so often, without realizing it, resist.
Here’s the gist of the story—as I first shared it two years ago, with just a few edits:
A raccoon had started marauding our hummingbird feeders again (and a few things in our garden). So we set a [LIVE] trap for it one night.
The next morning, I got up before dawn and saw something inside. But it wasn’t a raccoon—it was a possum.
But not just any possum. A possum that had a powerful lesson for me and you about life – about living in scarcity and living in abundance.
Possums are nocturnal, so I knew I had to free it before the sun fully rose. I grabbed the two screwdrivers I use to open the trap and went outside.
At first, the possum watched me calmly.
But when I bent down to open the door, it backed into the corner—hissing, growling, afraid.
I ignored it and finally got the trap open. Then I stepped aside to give it space.
Surely now, with the way clear, it would run to freedom… right?
NOPE.
It cowered even deeper in the corner.
So I picked up one end and tilted the trap slightly.
It cowered and hissed even more.
Frustrated, I propped the door open and went inside.
I figured it would make a break for freedom once I was out of sight.
Ten minutes later?
It was still cowering in the back of the trap.
So I tried again—this time gently prodding the possum with a plastic garden stake.
It didn’t move.
I prodded a little harder. All I got was louder hissing—more resistance.
Finally, I changed my approach.
I gently banged the stake across the top of the trap.
The sound startled the possum.
It took one tiny step backward—toward the door.
So I did it again. And again.
Each time, the possum inched backward—closer to the open door.
Until finally, its butt was hanging out of the trap. 😜
It was almost free.
And then that dang possum ran right back INTO the trap and cowered in the corner. 🙈
WTH???
I tried again. Same process. Same result.
By now I was laughing—what a silly possum!
I tried a third time.
As I banged on the trap, he inched backwards—away from the sound.
His butt was, once again, hanging out the door.
I banged the cage one more time—with extra force.
He took two more backward steps—OUT the door.
At first, he was so focused on the banging that he didn’t realize he was free.
And then he did. He turned, ran for the trees—and was gone.
And while the sight of that possum waddling into the woods was hilarious… I also recognized the deeper truth it revealed—for me, and maybe for you too.
Because we are that possum, my friend.
You. Me. All of us.
Only our trap isn’t metal and wire.
It’s what I call The Archetype of Scarcity—a deeply ingrained, invisible “operating system” built on the inaccurate perception that there’s not enough. That we are not enough.
Trapped by it, we feel stuck. Afraid. Defensive.
We cower or hiss.
We live in fear—whether we realize it or not. Whether we admit it or not.
We say we want freedom.
We say we want to live in abundance.
But our inaccurate beliefs about life, ourselves, and money keep us stuck.
We don’t see the opening that’s right in front of us.
Even if we do, we hesitate.
We hide.
We resist.
We cling to what’s familiar—even when it’s painful.
Can you relate, my friend?
If so, here’s what I most want you to know:
Through it all, Life—and the Source of Life—will keep gently, persistently, and lovingly rattling your cage.
Inviting you to step out. To be free.
To fully and freely be who you were created to be.
And to have the resources you need for that—including money.
Inviting you to know—and TRUST—that you are part of Something Bigger than your fear. Something bigger than the lies you’ve believed about scarcity.
Even if you move oh-so-slowly.
Even if you run back into a corner and cower.
Even if you hiss and growl—or dig your heels in and refuse to move.
Always, the Divine Source of Life and Love will rattle your cage—offering you freedom.
Offering you abundance.
Offering you a way out of the trap.
Even if it takes three tries.
Even if we waddle.
Even if we go butt-first. 😄
Even if the reminder comes through a funny little possum in a backyard trap… again. 🪱
What about this story resonated with you? I’d love to hear your response in the comments below.
P.S. If you feel like that possum—and wish someone would do for you what I did for him—I’d love to support you. I’m really good at gently rattling the scarcity traps my clients find themselves caught in… and helping them step into freedom. 💛