An example of suffering

So I'm here on Maui, in Kihei, on World Whale Day. It's a big event here in town and it only happens once a year. I was staying not too far where the festivities were happening. I happened to run into my partner( I don't call him my "ex" anymore because, he isn't!). We got to hang out for a bit with each other before we parted ways but before that, we were walking down the street and he ran into one of his many people that he knows and she told us about free massage going on @ WWD. It piqued my interest; my body was wanting some loving and I knew I was not going to get it from where I wanted, so I kept it in mind. Later on in the day when things were winding down, I was leaving the party and I happened to walk by where they were doing the free massage so I stopped in and it worked out that they had an opening table right then so I took advantage. The woman that gave me the massage was a student, (they all were) and that's why it was free, but she was very good and spent some extra time with me doing some energy work. When I first lied down, I remember that she was at my head because her hands were on my shoulders but I distinctly felt someone either lean or sit on the end of the table where my feet were. After the massage, I gathered my things and headed out. I was half way home when I realized that I didn't have my bag with me that had my phone, my money and ebt card and some other important things. I went back to where I had been and talked with the woman who did my massage and I didn't freak out, but I was so saddened to think that someone had stolen my bag! My mind even wanted to connect dots that were there to blame it on her! I went back to the spot where I had been sitting on the grass listening to the music to see If I had dropped it or left it by mistake to no avail. I didn't think to ask anyone sitting there if they had seen anything, I was so distraught. Long story short, that night I was guided to post an ad on craigslist in the lost and found section and that night, a woman called to tell me that she had found my bag and that everything was still there and that she had given it to Greg Kaufman, the founder of WWD!. I was so ecstatic to hear the news! I did get my bag back, with everything in it, though I had to go across town to get it.

In hindsight, I realized that all my suffering had been in my head and if I had thought to ask the people around where I had been sitting, I may have gotten my bag back sooner than later. It was a lesson in acknowledging my feelings and not allowing my head to "run away" with my feelings by making up possible scenarios of what could have happened. I didn't fail in this really because I still followed my guidance and got my bag back but it was an interesting experience to reflect on.

We ALL are the cause of our own suffering and it's not necessary. But it does take effort to bring oneself into balance if one is to stop suffering.

Namaste and Aloha!