Fortune Telling

“An invitation from the past.”

Fortune Telling

I don’t get many letters on paper any more.  So, when I received a hand written letter from California on the postmark with an address I didn’t recognize I was a little surprised.  There was no name written on the envelope, with the return address, so I had no clue who it could be from.  I know lots of people in California so I was a little perplexed that I didn’t recognize the address.

I know many people in California because I lived in Southern California in the late seventies and have done a lot of business there.  In fact, I survived the blizzard that paralyzed Palm Springs in 1978!  I still have vivid memories, and photos, of my friend Juan, a postal carrier, as he delivered mail in the snow.  As it turns out, the letter I received was from a friend I met and spent quite a bit of time with while living in Palm Springs at that time.

I opened the letter and was thrilled when I began to read because I recognized who it was from immediately.  You see, this particular friend was having some personal struggles at then and we spent a lot of time discussing her beliefs and what she wanted for herself and her family in the future.  To make a long story short, over the ensuing twenty-five years we had lost touch with each other and I hadn’t thought about our talks for a long, long time.

As I read the letter memories of our time together in 1978 and 1979 came flooding back to me and I could remember everything in much greater detail than I thought I could.  The written word filled me with a warm glow as my eyes devoured it.

“I will be visiting Utah within the next couple of weeks and would love to see you again.” My friend wrote.  “Here is my phone number.  Please call me so we can make arrangements to meet.”

When I finished reading, I picked up my telephone and touched the numbers I could see on the paper in front of me.  We had a great conversation when she answered and made an appointment to get together when she came to town for her daughter’s wedding.

When the day arrived I drove my car to the appointed place with a little apprehension.  It had been so long and I knew the other people there would not know me at all.  I would most likely be lost and alone, I thought to myself.  But, I bolstered my courage and made the drive.

When I arrived at my destination and knocked on the door I was greeted by my friend warmly and was invited in.

“This is my family!” She crowed.  “I wanted you to meet them so you could see the results of your kindness so many years ago.  You needed to know that the time you spent with me has made an impact far beyond me.  It will be felt for generations to come!”

I remember standing there in front of her lovely family without being able to speak one word!  What type of woman is kind enough to give me credit for doing nothing more than spending time talking with her so long ago?  “A true and caring friend!”  I said to myself.

We had a celebrated time together and when it ended I could feel the warmth of our friendship lingering for days afterwards.  As I recall it today, telling you this story, I feel its glow again and am reminded that small things done today can make a huge difference for people many years into the future.

I had no way of knowing that the woman I was helping in 1978 and 1979 was a fortuneteller, but she was.  She revealed the future to me in an amazing way and it’s made an impact on our lives, and the lives of our loved ones, more than a quarter century later.

You can make the play the same role in someone else’s life.  Contact a friend that made a difference in your life long ago and connect with them by revealing their contribution to your life.  When you do, you’ll see that being a fortuneteller in this way is far from fraudulent.  It is a way to reveal genuine love in an astonishing way.