I still remember that Saturday in 1990, right around the 4th of July. Five minutes out of a cold shower, I was again drenched in sweat. We were in the midst of a record heat wave and my apartment didn’t have air conditioning.
I told myself I was okay without it. I was used to it – we didn’t have air conditioning when I was a kid. We had big box fans that my mom scattered throughout the house. Whenever I got hot, I’d lie on the floor in front of a fan and let it blow over me until I was cool.
But that Saturday in 1990, I had only ONE small oscillating fan. For days, I had carried it from room to room, attempting to stay cool. But that morning, standing right in front of the fan, I was still sweating.
“That does it!” I thought. “It’s time for me to splurge and go buy a big box fan like mom had.”
Just then the phone rang. It was my dear friend Bob.
“What are you up to this weekend?” he asked.
“Actually, I’m going shopping. It’s too hot in my apartment and I can’t stand it. It’s time to splurge. I’m going to buy another fan.”
Bob said nothing.
Thinking we got disconnected, I asked, “Bob, are you still there?”
“Yes. But you’re kidding me, right?”
“No. I’m going to head to the store this morning and get a big box fan like we had growing up.
My idea was met with even more silence. A full 5-10 seconds later, I hear….
“Teresa, for goodness sake! Go buy yourself an AIR CONDITIONER!”
NOW I was the one who was silent – stunned by the obviousness of his suggestion.
But until that moment, my friend, it was NOT obvious to me. Never having had one, the idea never occurred to me. Another FAN? Yes – maybe even two. That would REALLY be splurging!
But an air conditioner? It wasn’t even on my radar screen.
And that, my friend, is what happens to us far too often. It doesn’t occur to us how much better things can be. We can’t fathom the ABUNDANCE of resources that are available to support us.
Instead, we think of abundance as getting out of debt, paying our bills on time, having money in savings. Maybe even having money left over for “extras” and an occasional treat. We think it’s about having TWO fans!
So today, my friend, I want to do for you what Bob did for me years ago. Because you weren’t created to just “get by” in life. Your life is not meant to be only about making money, paying bills and trying to save enough for retirement. You don’t have to wait UNTIL retirement to finally enjoy your life.
More than a year ago, I was given a divine download with a new definition of abundance. And part of that definition includes us having access to all that we need. (You can access the full definition here.)
So what do you “need”, my friend?
First, know that you were created as a unique and wondrous expression of the Divine – on purpose, with purpose. You have unique gifts to share with the world. And so you NEED whatever it takes for you to be FULLY you, FULLY alive. It’s also what the world needs through you.
So, like my friend Bob did for me, today I’m giving you permission to open up to new possibilities. To stop settling for anything less than living a life of unconditional freedom – with infinite resources to support you. You’ve had this permission from the moment you were born. This is what the One who created you wants for you. Wants for all of us.
When you forget this – when you start settling for less – here’s what I know will happen. Someone or something will come along to remind you of the MORE that is available for you. Of the MORE that is available for us all.
And when it happens, know that’s as if God is saying to you (and me)…
“Are you KIDDING?”
All my love…
xoxo