Back when The Secret video started going viral, i was being a little skeptical about the validity of its claims . If you put the sizable marketing buzz aside, it looked much like any other get rich fast self help programmes out there. After all, the themes of conscious visualization and confident belief in the ability to manifest your desires had already been favorites of the genre for years. Also, its supporters were mostly motivational speakers or coaches whose main professional qualifications consisted in talking about how to achieve success while getting paid for it. That’s why, as far as I’m concerned they are as credible in their line of work as Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton are as being talented celebrities worthy of their fame.
Yet, while i seldom buy into thought movements and guru mastered trends, I’ve come to realize first hand, through various events, that The Law of Attraction is in fact real and can work for or against you depending how it’s used. While i doubt it being the foremost means of materializing intent, it’s quite obvious, even from a left brain perspective that, when used properly, it can speed up things and make your life a lot easier. This is usually achieved by improving awareness and bringing order into chaotic thinking or destructive thought patterns. Probably my biggest gripe about all the surrounding hype, is the fact that they managed to turn it from a spiritual and consciousness evolving tool into a pathetic excuse for shallow people to pour their greed and selfish materialistic desires.
I certainly have nothing against it being used to achieve abundance, since that in itself can act as a very solid foundation for personal self development and exploration. In fact, my most recent experience that I’m sharing with you today, has definitely had a materialistic outcome. Still, i don’t intend to overuse the Law of Attraction as a way of indulging in my desires, hoping to get an easy pass. Here’s what really happened that got me thinking.
About a month ago, as i was planning to leave on a week long trip into a wonderful place called the Retezat Mountains, i realized that a new macro lens would do a good job complementing my existing photo equipment. I knew there were a lot of opportunities i would have otherwise missed and was really hoping to get it before leaving. While it might seem as a selfish and rather shallow thing to ask for, you should know that all the photos i upload to my Flickr photostream are released under Creative Commons Attribution so it was more or less something that would have helped the online community as well.
At the time the idea sprung to mind, i was really reluctant to invest any more money into photo gear, since it had already been a rather costly labor of love. I had absolutely no clue as to how i was going to get the funds for that pricey lens, nor was i sure whether or not to go for a brand new item or a second hand one. All i knew was that i wanted/needed it and it could eventually help others besides myself, so i just went on with a strong conviction that it would eventually manifest.
The days went by, the scheduled departure came closer and closer, yet nothing seemed to happen. With just about a week left, i suddenly realized that none of the stores in my area had it in stock. In fact, the only place i could get it was on the other side of the country, which made it both impractical and risky for a lens purchase. Yet, i was prepared to go all the way with my “foolish” wishful thinking, just being curious to see what can happen.
As the last weekend approached, i finally seized an opportunity to gain a little over what was needed to cover the costs of the item. It was more or less of a gamble, but since i wasn’t really busy there wasn’t much to lose. As a matter of fact, i even joked about the odds of this really going the way i was hoping. While at first it felt like a lost cause, eventually things cleared up and i managed to secure the money. With that obstacle out of the way, there was still the issue of finding a place to buy it from.
With only a day left, i decided to contact the country’s representative inquiring about the product’s availability. Sadly, there was little hope as the next batch was expected to arrive hours if not days after my departure. In the meantime, i was quite anxiously scouting online for any lucky second hand opportunities. Of the two people i managed to find, one was waiting on another sale so i was practically left with only one option.
Eventually, i discussed the details with the guy and we were supposed to meet later that day depending on how fast he would be able to clear his schedule. Hours went on without a call and my reptilian, fear based part of the brain was really starting to go into overdrive. After all, it was really painful seeing how close I’ve managed to get and then looking like everything was falling apart at the last minute. Still, there was a part of me confident enough that it was going to end up well, so i actually decided to go ahead and buy a UV filter anyways. Just minutes later, the seller was calling to let me know that he wasn’t able to find the warranty papers. This pretty much spelled game over, as i was leaving the following morning way early, and i wasn’t planning on testing a lens at night or give up on a two year warranty.
After spending the evening packing, i finally went to bed, a bit sad knowing that it was down to a very particular chain of events that could possibly turn the whole thing around. Instead of rummaging on my disappointment, i tried to focus on the small chance that something unexpected might happen the next morning. I made no effort whatsoever to try and figure out a scenario, but i knew that it was indeed possible and, if anything, it was really out of my hands.
A little over three hours of sleep later i woke up, finished packing and jumped in my friend’s car ready to enjoy the trip which was in itself a wonderful experience. We were supposed to meet up with yet another friend somewhere near the outskirts of the city. Quite unexpectedly, the other guy had woken up almost an hour later so he we had to wait for a while. Then, as we finally got together, he realized he had forgotten his professional tripod at home, which meant missing plenty of shots. With that in mind, he decided to turn back and get it, so i decided to join him. The plan was to drop by my favorite photo store hoping for an early delivery.
Yet, halfway through on our way back, i received a call that the seller had finally found the papers and he was willing to meet up in half an hour. After what felt like an excruciatingly slow passing of time, he finally arrived with the lens in mint condition and we shook on it. I’m really grateful that i got such “dumb luck” and i honestly hope all the best to the guy who sold the lens, since he’s allowed me to capture some great moments and share them with the world.
At the end of they day you can all put it down to a bunch of superstitions and coincidences, but even so it’s hard not to wonder whether or not this was in fact more than just a random string of events. While i do have my beliefs and convictions concerning this, i would really love hearing what you think of it. Did you have similar experiences where all things seemed to fall into place at the last minute or when you least expected it? How did it feel and what did you do throughout? Go ahead and share it with the world, as a little bit of hope can certainly go a long way.
