Hemingway

I love noticing all of the ways Law of Attraction manifests in my life. It is truly magical. For example, as I headed out to do some shopping, I had the (random) thought to post my story, HEMINGWAY, on this blog. I smiled thinking about the experience that led to writing the story, and I knew it was a good idea to share it.

I'd written it in 1998, just a few years after I'd left my corporate job in search of my authentic self. Along the way, I'd found Abraham-Hicks and became a devoted "Abrahamster." It was radical and scary to live in that whole new way, and I delighted at the adventures I was creating. And Hemingway was one of them.  I vowed to write this blog as soon as I got home.

I walked into the store to buy some linens, and walked toward a display of duvet covers.  One style  caught my eye. I liked the colors, the attitude. As I walked toward it, I laughed out loud. The name on the label? Hemingway!

So here's the story that led to THAT story...

HEMINGWAY

Living on the edge certainly has its cliffhangers. In leaner times, I prayed to my grandfather to help me out of the jam. He always came through, in my life to remind me that “well being abounds.”

When I was growing up, we had a special relationship. He was patient and gentle with a Fred Astaire-ness about him, and he always had a kind word and warm hug for me. He would hand me a couple of dollars and say with a wink, "Here's a little something to help the cause along." He always made sure there was enough money for me to go to summer camp in New Hampshire and when I was 10, he promised me the car of my choice for my 18th birthday. (I envisioned a turquoise Jaguar XKE for years, though it never manifested.} For my birthday, he'd always give me some shares of AT&T, which of course multiplied like crazy when Ma Bell split up. And in his quietly generous way, he sent me off to Europe when I was a senior in high school, the perfect prescription for coping with adolescence, my parents' divorce, my grandmother's illness and my dog's disappearance. Thank you, Grandpa, for the well being reminder.

Grandpa died in 1973, but has managed to continue to "help the cause along" in miraculous and mysterious ways. Those AT&T shares turned into stock in all of the Baby Bell holding companies. When I needed money after college, I sold all but NYNEX for a good amount of cash. Thank you again, Grandpa.

A few years passed. I decided to cash in the NYNEX stock to buy furniture for my new apartment. And thank you again and again, Grandpa.

More years passed. I kept receiving statements from NYNEX but I never paid any attention to them. During a particularly tight financial squeeze, I prayed to my grandfather to help me through. The next day, I received one of the quarterly statements from NYNEX. This time, I took a closer look at it. It said, "SHARES HELD BY YOU - 0 / SHARES HELD BY NYNEX - 60." I sold the shares held by NYNEX and rejoiced at my good fortune. And I thanked my grandfather again.

The synchonicities continued to appear, like driftwood, letting me know I'm in contact with him from the other side. In preparing for a move to San Diego, my mother set aside a few boxes of my childhood memorabilia. Anything I wanted had to travel home with me. The rest, garbage.

Among the scrapbooks, photos and trinkets rescued from the dumpster, I decided to keep the oversized yearbook from my fateful, miserable year at Skidmore College. After I got it home, though, I discovered it was too big for my bookcase and left it out until I could think of a better storage place.

Some days later, my brother and his bride-to-be asked me to witness their marriage at City Hall. After the ceremony, we went across the street to Horace Greeley Park to share a champagne toast. I heard someone call my name. It was Janet, a friend from Skidmore, whom I hadn't seen in more than 20 years.

It was great to catch up with her in those few minutes and when I returned home, I decided to sit down and look through the yearbook to see what memories it would stir up. I saw it as a healing, to practice staying present through what was sure to be a mix of emotions.

I opened the front cover and two large menus slid out. I vaguely recognized them - they were from the luxury cruise liner, the Isle de France. My grandparents were on board in 1957, taking the Caribbean cruise for Lincoln's Birthday weekend. The menus had beautiful illustrations and fables in French, and I smiled remembering my grandfather giving me the menus when I came back from France.

Inside the menu with Le Coche et la Mouche, in neat, legible handwriting were the words:

Very best wishes, Ernest Hemingway

Isle de France, Lincoln's Birthday

My jaw dropped. This menu had been tucked inside this book for at least 20 years, and had almost gone back into storage for another decade or two. If I hadn't met Janet in the park, I wouldn't have had the urge to look through the yearbook.

After a few calls to autograph dealers, I knew I had something really special. I submitted the autograph for auction. On the week of the auction, “Wrestling Hemingway,” starring Sandra Bullock opened in theatres across America. Thanks again to the Law of Attraction for this exquisite timing!

The autograph sold for $1000.

Thank you, Grandpa. Thank you, Papa Hemingway. Thank you, Law of Attraction.

©1998 Sandi Kimmel, Sterling Heart Publishing