Abundance in Many Forms

Your most precious, valued possessions and your greatest powers are invisible and intangible. No one can take them. You, and you alone, can give them. You will receive abundance for your giving. ~ W. Clement Stone


A very dear friend of mine was sharing an experience she had in a foreign country with a woman selling her own hand made jewelry.  There was a particular necklace my friend was interested in, but the price was more than my friend could afford.  The woman lowered the price and although the jewelry was well worth it, my friend still could not afford it.  Eventually the two women came to an agreed amount, and continued their conversation.  The woman shared information with my friend about the history of the small town, pointing out significant landmarks, and the decline of their culture.  My friend learned of current raids, rape, and growing fear in the small town. 

When my friend moved along in her journey, she shared the story with fellow travelers and then again back home in the United States.  The skilled jewelry maker was not able to receive the full monetary amount for her work, but through her gift of story telling, she shared her life and culture in an unforgettable way.  In place of money, the woman was now the recipient of numerous prayers for protection, prosperity, and safety.  Daily blessings which are priceless are being sent back to the visited country.

We all need to be mindful of the value of our gifts and talents.  We can assist others in a very satisfying way by giving of our selves without being driven by thoughts of financial return.  We all need to be compensated for our work, but we may end up richer by receiving abundance in one of its many other forms after we have generously given of ourselves.