Lessons from your own child....

I remember the first time I sat down with my kids and watched, The Secret. The message was simple, the law of attraction. Thoughts become words and words become action. My son, age 17 back then got 'hooked' onto watching the DVD. He questioned the power of the universe in so many ways - I was ready to throw the damn dvd out because he became so obsessed watching it.

Before long - his visualisation board was up in his room and pictures were added, taken away, added again. I watched him from a bit of a distance - because personally it made sense, the law of attraction but I was not sold in the extent you literally were forced to be the minister of positivity. Or is that the God of positivity. yea yea yea.... (like the beatle song) I played along. Then one day, I had a 'need' which I have been visualising come true. Pffft.. coincidence I tell ya! Then the paw paw hit the fan with my finances and I was on a downhill skid at the speed of light. My son says... "Mom remember the law of attraction - you need to attract the 'amount' you need to get out of the dwang"!! Silently I thought... 'yea right not THIS time' BUT with nagbag son of mine I put it on the visualisation board. I was battling to 'believe' that the law of attraction is going to attract a sum of money that is literally double my salary. The following week, I received a letter in the mail, which read "complete your details to claim your surplus pension fund....". This was from a company I worked for in the early 90's. I didn't connect this with the 'amount' of money I needed - but damn even a little will bring some relief. 2 weeks later I got a return mail which confirmed the amount that will be paid out to me in 10 days, to the last cent the amount I needed to get out the dwang. 'No Ways!!' ... I thought. My son was like a bouncing ball, "see I told you" he said.

Over the years over and over, he proved this law of attraction to me. Twice during that time, my finances would take a dive and twice I received surplus fund letters from companies I worked for in the 80's. Every time the amount I needed was honoured. BUT I was 'sold' on the supernatural ability of this law of attraction.

Last Friday afternoon, I got a phone call from an exclusive advertising school, my son has set his heart on to attend from this year to study for his Art Direction degree over the next 3 years. You needed to complete a set of tasks as part of the application. Even though we were told they still have space, earlier in that week - my son was furiously working on the 'tasks' he needed to hand in with his application. He knew he would not be ready by Friday, so he called the school and they said, he still has time till Monday morning because the school starts the next day. Friday afternoon we got a call saying "sorry we are full now" I thought how on earth am I going to explain this to my child. His heart is set on THIS school and the other 2 institutions is NOT where he wanted to study. A Blessing in disguise I thought, because i also found out that day that his application goes along with a 'deposit' which is thousands of rands. Thank Goodness I thought - how disappointed would he have been if I told him I didn't have the money for the deposit? I also found out just HOW expensive the annual fees are. TWICE the amount of the other 2 institutions - from which I budgeted for his studies. Oh well, just another lesson for him.

"No" he says.... "Mom I'm going there on Monday morning, I'm handing in my application, I KNOW I will be at this school THIS year" I tried talking him out of - setting himself up for disappointment. "No" he says... "look it is has been on my visualisation board.. I will get in" Oh Laaawd, I thought. Ok EVEN the 'remote' chance he gets in, what do I do about the deposit and the double than what I thought it would be annual fees. The whole weekend, my stomach is in knots.. and my son is saying "Don't worry mom I'm going to get in" So Sunday night I tell him that EVEN if he gets in there MAY be a financial 'hurdle', but lets handle that when the time comes. Monday morning early he is out and at the college. He called to say that they accepted his portfolio - saying they will call him if they get a 'space' (a kid not pitching or something) An hour later I get a call asking my son to come in for an 'interview' I ask if a space opened up? "No" they say.. his application is by far the best they received of all the 100's of applications they received this year. They do however only take on 17 Art Direction students. Based on his portfolio alone they want to take him in. After his interview later that day they congratulated him on his excellent application and welcomed him to the fold.

He called me, bouncing off the ceiling. Now i'm panicking, HOW on earth am I going to pay for this. I call the administrator to talk finances - which needed to be paid BEFORE he starts at 9 the next morning. I thought this is it, i'm in trouble. After getting the details from them, the deposit alone nearly made me faint. I ask about a payment plan and they give me a figure for the first month including the deposit. It is EXACTLY the amount of money I had set aside for the 'other' instituion for the YEAR!! And this is the amount I need to pay for the first MONTH!! Oh Crikey... was I getting ready to bail out.

When I sat down and thought about it, I thought 'No!!' Who am I to change what my son has been attracting from the universe. I paid the money over that night and I thought.. 'RIGHT Universe.. U better make a plan... so I can pay the high fees every month for the rest of the year'.

There..... that is where I am at.. and a GREAT lesson ... from a GREAT kid! Thank you my son, who ever would have thought that YOU will be the one teaching me about life at the tender age of 19. YOU are destined for GREATNESS and I'm very proud of you. ROCK on u hooligan!!!!

U-Turns

No amount of plotting and planning and steering your life in a direction can counteract a U-turn that the universe lays or throws at your feet.

When your kids are on the verge of setting out their own path and the 'direction' is changed for them, there is absolutely nothing you can do but whisper in their ear - welcome to 'life'. Still it does not take away the disappointment. It does however provide you with a platform to teach your child that when doors slam shut - to simply look around for an open window.

As hard it is for kids to step out into the real world, just as hard it is for parents to curb the urge to jump into their path and smooth the way.

This is when the 'voice' of your parenting comes to fruition and you find out just how well you prepared your child for his journey through life.

Here I am......

I've just decided to start a new 'blog' site. I've been blogging now for the past 4 years. Sadly the 'network' I was on became over run by the lonely hearts club *sigh* Damn I know there is a place for that kinda thing - but what part of I'm not looking for a relationship don't they understand.

If you come here by 'accident' I hope that my footprints will be inspirational / entertaining and worth coming back for more.

They call me Velvet T which stands for ... Velvet Taurus. Taurus being my star sign. It was given to me by a colleague who said it stands for 'Soft to the Touch.. but don't mess with me' His description....... was a lot more colorful :-D

My thought for today; "If you feel sick and miserable... LAUGH it is the best medicine and it is free"