Perfectly Placed

  

  I’m stepping in! Back where I belong. My return to this page has been long overdue.  My absence was not by choice, rather by necessity. I was where I was supposed to be.  A large undertaking at work consumed my time and energy

  Each day life unfolds in beautiful ways.  During my busyness I continued to experience moments of Universal connection.  Heart shaped images were abundant.  Another symbol of deep meaning began presenting itself to me, angels. They appeared in the form of feathers, clouds, mushrooms, leaves, saran wrap and paper towels.  You name it, somehow they found me, or maybe, I found them.   Either way we connected.

  The term six degrees of separation is the theory that we are connected to everyone in the world by a chain of six or fewer steps. There is also the belief that in each moment you are exactly where you are supposed to be.  Most of us go through daily life without giving these theories a second through.  The truth is, each day we do connect with the people we are meant to. It may not be extraordinary; the effects are subtle, but important. Simply, it can be the person you held the door open for needed kindness in their life.  

  Then, there are the days when you know you were directed to a place for a specific reason.  Recently this happened to me.

  I was asked to send a wire transfer to a Canadian company for an event a few employees would be attending.  I was emailed the invoice and wiring instructions. I filed it away and take care of it when closer to conference. 

   It was a week before the event and I realized I hadn’t sent the funds.  I logged onto my on-line banking and attempted to wire the funds.  My request was rejected.  I checked with the loan officer.  He confirmed I should be able to initiate a foreign wire.   Two days later I tried again. It was rejected. I called the help line.  After walking through several steps he determined my account was not set up for foreign wiring capabilities.   I was told to go to a branch and they could wire the funds. 

  I do most of the banking remotely.  I don’t know anyone in the branch. I emailed my loan officer and asked who I should contact.    He reached out to the manager of the branch that our accounts are assigned to and explained what I needed. The next morning I received an e-mail from the branch manager saying he was out of the office, but anyone at the branch could help me. 

   Seeing this, the loan officer asked if I wanted him to contact the other branch that I used on occasion.  After waffling a bit I said yes.   I was told to see either Lorraine or Kim. They would take care of the transfer.  

  I planned on going to the bank that morning.  It didn’t happen.  I wanted to go right after lunch….no luck.  By the time I left the office 1:40.  As I opened my car door I noticed an image floating above the building. It was an angel cloud. I took a few pictures.  

   At the bank I was greeted by a heavyset older woman who was sitting behind one of the two desks beside the door. 

  Good afternoon.  Can I help you with something?”

  “I’m here to see either Lorraine or Kim.”

 “Lorraine is out, Kim is behind the counter.  I can get her for you.  What do you need help with?”

 “I need to send foreign wire transfer.”

 “I can help you with that.  Have a seat.”

  She introduced herself.  Her name was Patricia.  I introduced myself and handed her the wiring instructions. 

  She was cheerful, talkative, and methodical in her approach Patricia navigated the specific steps to be taken. She asked several questions, one was bank account number?  I meant to write it down before I left the office.  Of course I didn’t. I recited the number that I believed belonged to our account…..bingo!  I got it right!  Patricia chuckled. 

  She began typing and repeated everything she typed.  In between she’d apologize for taking so much of my time.  I told her, no worries.  I knew she was doing what she needed to.   While waiting I sent a friend the angel pictures I took when I left the office.  Angels are a sign for her.  As usual, this one arrived at a significant moment.   

   Patricia continued typing.  I looked at her desk and noticed a piece of cardboard leaning against her computer monitor stand.  I could see there was a silver item attached to it.  From the silhouette shape it appeared to be an angel.  It was a guardian angel that you clip to the sun visor in your car.   

    I had just seen an angel as I left the office.  Now there’s one on this woman’s desk. This wasn’t coincidental.

    While walking a few weeks prior I was drawn to a few crumpled paper towels in the street.  I circled back and looked closer. They were in the form of an angel.

  
  As Patricia was working on the wire transfer I scrolled through the pictures on my phone and found the one of the paper towels in the street.  Something told me to share it with her. 

  She continued to speak every piece of information she typed.  Again, she apologized for holding me up.  Even though I had many things waiting for me at the office I told her it wasn’t an issue.  She submitted the wire request.  It was rejected. The receiving bank name exceeded thirty five characters.  She showed me the message. I told her to back track to thirty five.  The account number should suffice.  

  Due to the lack of activity the photo on my phone disappeared.  I scrolled through my photo library again to find it.

  She counted each letter of the receiving bank’s name out loud until she reached thirty five.  She submitted it again. It was rejected for the same reason.  I asked if she included the spaces in her count. She did.  She recounted including the spaces and deleted the extra letters. Finally, the request was accepted. Patricia was happy as was I.    

    I felt the need to give the angle connection breath.   

  Patricia printed the wiring instructions for me to sign.  She asked for my driver’s license and explained it’s not that she doesn’t believe who I said I am, but the bank requires proof for their files. 

  I handed her my driver’s license.  She wrote my identification number on the form.  As she did I said “From the looks of your desk it seems as that you like angels.”

 She looked up and said “Yes.”

 “I like to walk. As I do, hearts and angels appear in various objects. I came across this one two houses from my parent’s home. It is a few crumpled pieces of paper towels on the road.    I handed Patricia my phone with displaying the photo and I signed the wire authorization form.

   When I looked up and handed her the paper I noticed her cheeks had turned red and her eyes moist. “That’s beautiful.” 

   “They seem to follow me.” I shared.

  “I have a daughter” she continued. “She has some serious issues.”

   She handed me back my phone. “I’m sorry.” I said.

  “She’s older” Patricia continued

  I scrolled back through the recent pictures on my phone to the one I took before I left the office, the angel in the sky.

    “I took this today as I was leaving the office.”

 Her eyes again filled and her voice softened.  “My daughter is a drug addict.  I pray to the lord to keep her safe.”

  All I could muster was another inadequate “I’m sorry.”

   She looked up, got back to business, handed me the completed wire transfer papers and with softness in her voice she said

  “You were sent here today for a reason.”

   Ordinarily I don’t share my photos with strangers. Something told me to do so with her. 

   Was she praying for a sign?  Did the angels provide it?   

   I think so.

  I arrived back at the office parking lot but I wasn’t ready to go back in.  It wasn’t simply because it was a beautiful day I needed to process what had just occurred.

  Patricia’s reaction to my outreach proved there are no accidents.  Rather, every moment we are where we’re supposed to be.

   Needing clarity I went for a walk up the hill behind the building. The movement felt good, as did the crisp air.  My mind raced.  Recalling all that transpired I was humbled.  So many instances of connection have occurred in my life, but today I truly felt as if I was the conduit to deliver a message.  

   Hearts were around.  They were in rock, tar and cement.  When arrived at the top of the hill my pace slowed.  To the left of me I saw a small flying object.  As it neared, I stopped. In the Northeast winter is nearing its end and I’ve yet to see a robin. Seriously, a butterfly in March!  It was chocolate brown with yellow outline on its wings. Shocked, I stood still.  It passed five feet in front of me and instead of continuing its linear flight it flew in a circle around me. When the circle was completed it continued on its way.   

  Its appearance felt significant, as did the circling.  Standing in the road I noticed it landed on a piece of cement in the distance.  I walked into the brush to get a closer look.  From thirty feet away I snapped a few pictures. Later, when I looked at the picture I saw the piece of cement the butterfly landed on was in the shape of a heart.

   My butterfly sighting was unusual for this time of year. It was a sign and a thank you.

   Reflecting upon the twists and turns that placed me in that bank, at that time I do believe what Patricia said, I was there for a reason.  No doubt, we are exactly where we are supposed to be in every moment.