(Originally Written: April 22, 2013)
My little girls and I have been building a fairyland together. When I was 16, I inherited of collection of doll-house miniatures from my Great Cousin Dede. Countless tiny, exquisite items, including everything from multiple china tea sets, chandeliers, and royal crowns to canopy beds, full kitchen sets and cuckoo clocks. She left them to me because they had fascinated me as a child. But, at age 16, I didn’t know what to do with them. Despite not having an immediate purpose for them, I cherished her gift and carefully stored them away for future use.
Many years later, my girls grew old enough to appreciate these tiny treasures. Rather than simply purchasing a pre-made doll house, our imaginations led us to creating a Fairyland in which to place all these items. To that end, yesterday morning, I though: it would be nice to find a part of an old plastic kid’s castle or something that we could use as parts to build another section of the castle in their Land.
Yesterday afternoon, I drove to the bank in Elmira. The parking lot sported one of those metal boxes for donating clothes to charity. In front of the metal box, I noticed several garbage bags (assumedly of clothes) as well as part of a kids pink plastic toy castle!!!
But, it sat in the middle of a busy parking lot and in front of a donations box, clearly intended to be donated. Although the donation box displayed a sign clearly stating that it was for clothes only, not toys or other household goods.
I hesitated. Could I take it? I drove around the parking lot and directly past the box and castle. I paused again and looked around, noting several people close by. And then I drove away without taking it. I felt like it would be stealing to take something intended for donation. Perhaps more realistically, I felt embarrassed being seen picking something up from a junk pile. But, in hindsight, I imagine if I had asked the person who dropped it there, he/she would have gladly handed it to me and felt pleased that it would be of use. The universe supplies what we ask for but we have to feel worthy of the gift and proactively accept it—only then can we receive.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7
When the door opens, enter!
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