Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Do You Believe in Miracles?

Or when something extraordinary happens, do you just chalk it up to beating the odds? (For those of you who argue with me about math's usefulness – here's another example ;-) Let me tell you what happened last week, and you tell me: miracle or odds.

For our 20th wedding anniversary last year, The Engineer bought me a gorgeous, pink sapphire ring with diamond accents. OK, that's not entirely true. He PAID for the ring which I picked out.



Ever since he gave me a toaster oven for Christmas the first year we were dating, I've picked out my own gifts and said, “Here honey, look what you got me!” We joke about it. “How did you know that a this would be perfect? You're such a good shopper!” I've worn it everyday since.

Monday was no ordinary day. I was finally starting to feel human again, the boys were leaving for hunting on Wednesday, and I had to buy their groceries, and get all the clothes washed so they could pack.

I filled a cart over the brim at the grocery store. It was meticulously packed. The checker, as he was filling bag after bag, decided I needed two carts to get everything out to the car because he wasn't a good packer. I got everything inside the house. I put everything away, I packed the food for the trip. During this outing, I'd used every reusable cloth grocery bag I own.

As I was folding load of laundry number five, I needed lotion. As I was putting it on, I noticed, to my horror, that the stone was missing from my ring. I was despondent. What are the odds of finding something of that size after all that my hands had done in the last four hours? NOT VERY GOOD. Chances slim to none. It could be hiding literally anywhere in the house, a bag, the store, the parking lot...

I don't give up easily though, so I called the store and asked them to look out for it. I tore apart my bed, where I fold laundry. I started to think about where I might have dinged my hand and realized that shoving all the sandwich makings into the meat drawer might have put some pressure on my hand. I took the drawer all apart. No stone.

Next I decided that why not go through all the cloth grocery bags that I'd folded and put away after emptying them. I had to do something, and might as well do a complete-able task. Most have that rubbery bottom flap thingie to stabilize them. I took it out when possible, and ran my hands under the ones that were attached. I came to a bag with no bottom rubber thing, so I just shook it out.

Tink, tink, tink.”

Something fell out of the bag. Pebble, probably. But I looked around on the wood floor, and there was my pink heart. INCONCEIVABLE! I was floored. I cried. I called the store back, and told the same nice lady in customer service that I'd found it. “That's completely amazing!” I agreed.

So you tell me, miracle, or just beating the (almost impossible) odds? I'm voting miracle.

Have you ever lost, and then found something precious that you were unlikely to ever see again? Do you believe in miracles? Do you buy your own gifts because you're married to such a great shopper like I am?


~Tina

19 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I believe in miracles! Glad you found the stone. Good thing you didn't pack it in a sandwich.
I'm a good gift giver. I'll get a few things my wife requests and then surprise her with the rest. So far, I've always scored.

Jo said...

I lost a heavy gold bracelet once. Months later I found it at the bottom in a chest freezer. As for the odds, you are the mathematician!! Anyway, so glad you found it. Just remembered I lost a stone, jade, out of a ring it happened at work. I had the stone replaced as it had belonged to a deceased friend. A week or two later I found the original stone up against the desk on a dark carpet. I figured it had disappeared into a vacuum long before.

Hubby used to buy fabulous gifts which were great surprises. These days he says he doesn't know what to buy me so I too select my own present.

Unknown said...

Glad you found it, and yes Miracles still happen today.
I must confess that as I read your post, and came across the word "INCONCEIVABLE!" I immediately thought of The Princess Bride!

JoJo said...

I am so glad you found it!!! That would have been a heart breaker if you didn't.

Back when I was married to Brian, he gave me a chemistry set for our first Xmas together. He never grasped the concept of buying something that the other person was interested in, so I started filling out catalog order forms, filling in the credit card number and giving them to him to mail. I'd do this in the summer so that by the holidays I'd forgotten what I filled out. There were a few years that he did get me some great gifts all on his own, but the catalog system worked best. Except for my bday in 2009....he thought it'd be a good idea to get me board games. I HATE games. He got the money out to buy my gifts and was literally next door to a Ben Franklin crafts. A $100 gift card would have been perfect. But no, he went to Target's toy section and got me Battleship and a couple others. I was really pissed off and hurt that he was still that clueless after 20 years of marriage, so I returned them all the next day. I was so disgusted I didn't even use the money at the craft shop.

Brian Miller said...

hey i will vote miracle as well...i have seen too many unexplainable things not to believe in them you know...smiles. the bank examiner found my lost wedding ring in a bank file once...2 days before i was to pick up the new one...

shelly said...

Your Guardian angel noticed that it had fallen in the parking lot, and he put in one of your cloth grocery bags. But he forgot to tell you.

Hugs and chocolate.

Jeremy [Retro] said...

that is a wonderful story... miracles can happen to good people, you are a good person. I think things happen for reasons, we are pulled to one direction and the events are to follow!

I have a sad story from my first marriage, that is sad and very similar to your story, if you would like to hear it?

Andrew Leon said...

No, I don't think it was a miracle. You worked methodically back through the things you had done and, eventually, found it. That's not a miraculous thing.

Which is not to say that I don't believe in the possibility of miracles, but I also believe, by their definition, if there is a mundane or human explanation, then it's not a miracle.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I believe in miracles pleased you found your lovely ring.
I lost my wedding ring once and found it some months later.
Yvonne.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

It was right there waiting for you.

I think it was a miracle. What are the odds of finding something that tiny?

LD Masterson said...

I absolutely believe in miracles.

I don't buy my own gifts but I'm not at all subtle about pointing out exactly what I'd like.

Rachel said...

Pretty!

I believe in miracles. Too many amazing things happen and exist to think otherwise.

Andrea said...

There are times when it feels difficult to believe in miracles and others that are the opposite. Having the lost be found is such an incredible feeling!

klahanie said...

Hi Tina,

This was a wonderful story. The gem returned and all was well. Perhaps it was just meant to be. As for miracles, maybe. Miracles are something this beleaguered planet needs more of.

Pawsitive wishes,

Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar! :)

Annalisa Crawford said...

How fantastic. It's the type of thing that can only happen in real life though, because if you wrote it into a novel readers would complain it was too coincidental :-)

Just to further prove I am a man in a woman's body - hubby is the gift buyer in our house, and I'm the one he gives a list of his 'wants' too.

Silvia Writes said...

Miracle, for sure. I believe in miracles. Time and again I've seen examples of something nearly impossible happening. Glad you found the stone. And what a beautiful ring that is.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Tina .. gosh that WAS LUCKY - but so pleased you found it .. just keep it safe this time?! Please .. pretty please ...

I'm pleased you're feeling more human - long may it continue ... happy weekend .. Hilary

Anonymous said...

I lost a ruby pendant my husband got for me once, while at church making hundreds of loaves of bread with several other volunteers for a fundraiser. I had no clue where I might have lost it, but kept my eyes open everywhere I went, and asked everyone I knew to do the same. About a week later, the janitor at church was doing major floor cleaning in the kitchen. There was a tiny black spot on the edge of the floorboard, under the cupboard. The chain was thin - one I used to wear all the time, because it was dainty and so pretty. She was on her hands and knees when I walked in, looked up and said, "T. is this what you were looking for? It's a little bit dirty, but here it is, gem intact and everything." Needless to say, I literally cried with joy! So glad you found your stone, Tina. Yes, these are the miracles in our lives.

Elizabeth Sara said...

I completely believe in miracles. I'm glad you found the ring!