Mining Diamonds

Maybe you’ve heard this story? An ancient Persian owned a very large farm with orchards, grain-fields and gardens? He was wealthy and perfectly content until, one day, he was visited by a Buddhist priest. The wise man from the East sat by the fire and told the old farmer about a place where there were diamonds the size of his thumb.

The farmer became discontent with his own life. He felt poor, although he had not lost anything. He wanted a mine of diamonds. He sold his farm and went in search of his treasure.

A short time later, while watering his camel at a brook on that farm, the new land owner found “a black stone having an eye of light reflecting all the hues of the rainbow”.  The black stone was~ you got it~ a diamond. It turns out there were more diamonds and more and more and more. The old Persian had been sitting on a mine of diamonds all along.

In 2011, my nest was empty and I found myself with a thirst for something more. I yearned to grow. I wanted to increase my personal wealth. I wanted to do more, see more, learn more, feel more; be more.

“We are designed to seek, to be curious, to discover” according to the Wright Foundation.

I took personal development courses, classes to learn more about the internet and marketing. I enrolled in and studied for professional certification programs. I learned about people; what makes us to what we do, think what we think. I traveled to wonderful new places and along the way I have gathered so many fabulous new friends.

Last month I was in Sarasota, Florida for the completion of one of the marketing programs. My meeting was finished on Sunday evening. A lady I’ve become friends with, since embarking on this quest, lives in California. She was arriving in the same city on Sunday to begin a workshop on Monday. When we realized we’d both be in Sarasota, we decided to share a hotel room and take the opportunity to catch up on one another’s lives.

We met at our airport hotel on Sunday evening. Over a light bite and a glass of wine, she told me all about a seminar she had just attended and I told her about mine.

When we got into our room, I put on my jammies and laid out my clothes for the following day. I had an early morning flight and a car to return.

We got into our beds and chatted more. I was exhausted and must have fallen asleep mid-sentence. When I awoke I glanced at my phone for the time. As my eyes focused I read 6:15am. “What, 6:15? It can’t be. I always wake up at 3:30 a.m. It’s a setting on my body clock or something…..Well, not that day.

I couldn’t find the alarm clock. I jumped out of bed and ran across the room to look at Kathy’s phone. Same time! I had a 710a.m. departure. Holy moly!

I had intended to check in online the night before. I hadn’t. I could have returned the car on Sunday. I didn’t. I could have, should have set my alarm on my phone or asked for a wake up call. Nope. Neither.

For a moment I felt doomed. I was going to miss my plane! But just as quickly as I had gotten that sinking feeling, I snapped back in to my positive thinking.

~”Everything you can imagine is real”~ Picasso

I imagined myself seated at the window, in row 17, on Delta flight 1508.

Kathy heard the commotion as I scrambled to put on my clothes and seal my bags. She bolted up from her pillow and said, “What’s wrong? What’s going on?” Still a bit panicked, I told her what time it was. Kathy jumped out of bed and said, “How can I help? You have a car to return, right?” I nodded “Yes”.

She dressed as quickly as I had, grabbed her purse and a room key. We were off.

Within minutes we were in the elevator and out the front door of our hotel; teeth un-brushed, hair uncombed, un-showered. Ick! There wasn’t a second to spare though.

Fortunately, the property we were staying at was directly across the street from the Sarasota/Bradenton Airport. Equally as fortunate, Delta Airlines has a skycap desk outside.

There were no lines at the counter so I was checked in and had boarding passes in hand quickly. Thankfully, my boarding passes also had TSA Pre-check status. I moved swiftly through security and on to the departure gate.

From a distance, I could see other passengers lined up, beginning to board our plane. I rushed to the gate agent and asked if I had a enough time to visit the ladies room. She shook her head yes, so I sprinted down the hall.

I brushed my teeth and hesitated before looking in the mirror. Eek, I wished I had time to do something with my hair but I had to get on that plane.

I hustled back to the line, walked to my row, got in my seat, closed my eyes, took a very deep breath and whispered a prayer of gratitude.

Meanwhile, Kathy re-fueled my car, returned it to the rental agency and shuttled back to our hotel.

Some people might have said, “Wow, good luck!” and gone right back to sleep. Thank you, Kathy Pendleton for your quick thinking and kindness.

The passengers beside me on that Delta flight were a husband and wife. He read a book, something about “real men” and she listened to her headphones during our 1 1/2 hour flight. We didn’t engage in conversation. Actually, I was trying to be invisible!

As our flight approached the Atlanta Airport and we prepared for landing, I heard the man tell his wife, “True love is hard to find, but true friends are even more rare.” I leaned in their direction and said, “I couldn’t help but overhear what you just said. Let me tell you about my friend this morning…..”

This week, I was on a mission to purchase something in high demand. It was predicted to be available for only one day. I was wondering how I would be able to get to some of the stores that carried the product and be at work on time. Early in the morning I sent a plea for help via text message to some of my tribe. Within minutes, my sister, my niece, my husband and my friend responded. They were instantly on the case. My goal became their mission. By noon my order was filled!  Thank you, Kim, Meaghan, Courtney and Beau. xoxox

In my quest to be more, see more, earn more, feel more and do more, I have become keenly aware of my own acre of diamonds. My personal wealth is my people; my family, old friends, new friends, my clients… and you. My treasure keeps growing with everyone I meet. I feel so RICH!

“….the soul can obtain sufficient nourishment from its own garden.” St. Teresa

Have you been cultivating and mining your own personal acre of diamonds? I would love to hear about your discoveries.

I H.O.P.E. that you’re feeling richly blessed today, too.

Enjoy!
Kellie