It’s fun to play around with intent and awareness and to watch as reality begins to match it.
In the distant past my teen announced she’s a city girl and New York is the place to be. Once
she made that decision, she started seeing New York license plates—the orange ones with a
blue border at the top and “Empire State” below. She announced that they were a sign! I
began to see them, too. At first it was a trickle but the more we noticed them, the more they
showed up.
Some years went by; the pages flew off the calendar. One day our daughter found a cheap
sewing machine languishing in the basement. Out of boredom and a few days into COVID
lockdown, she taught herself to sew. That same day she stayed up til 4:00 and created pants
with a fitted waistband and a button fly. They were lined. I will forever remember the moment I
realized the lining was constructed out of one of my massage table sheets.
All through COVID and beyond, she sewed like she was getting paid. She made herself
something for every occasion, many of which she would never attend. She haunted thrift
stores for interesting fabrics. She made colorful hoodies out of children’s bath towels and she
sold them to her friends. People began to ask her for custom clothing and accessories.
We bought her a high-quality machine and she carried on sewing through lockdown without
taking a break. Her uncle thought to buy her a serger, a machine used to finish garments. She
declared serging to be life-changing, and redoubled her efforts.
One day her aunt called from Cincinnati and told me the U of C has a fantastic fashion design
camp, and why didn’t we put Naomi in it? We’re not ones to make decisions quickly, but we
had her enrolled by nightfall. Summer came, she went, and she came home on fire. The
license plates came thick and fast, like mosquitoes. College loomed. One day she informed
us she wants to be a fashion designer in New York with a focus on sustainable couture.
To no one’s surprise, there are great fashion schools in New York City. She applied to Fashion
Institute of Technology, sight unseen. We recommended she apply to several more, to have a
Plan B. She stared at us and said, “You guys. Why would I apply to a school where I don’t
want to go.” It wasn’t a question. People came out of the woodwork to tell her that they’d
attended FIT, they knew someone who did, or they had someone in NY who could help her
get settled. A family member declared his intent to help pay for her college. She told me, “It
feels good knowing so many people want me to succeed.” We waited, then we waited some
more. In May she was accepted to FIT; she starts in the fall.
This kid is a walking reminder of why we teach the tools that we do. They help students to
know who they are, to send out their clear intent and to pay attention! The intent itself is an
energy that invites more of the same, which in turn validates and illuminates the path ahead.
It reminds me of a quote that many of you already know:
“Until one is committed, there is a hesitancy, the chance to draw back; always ineffectiveness.
Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation) there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then
providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one that would not otherwise have occurred.
A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen
incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man would have dreamed would come his
way.”
The quote is by Scottish mountaineer W.H. Murray, who goes on to quote Goethe: “Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace and power in it.”
Blessings.
Katie
Rt. Rev. Katie Heldman is the Co-Director of Psychic Horizons Center, and wrote this article for the June 13th, 2022 eNews.
