Samhain Publishing Ltd Weblog

A Box Of Money

Do you ever wonder at the stuff you see on the side of the road?

One day I was in the passenger seat, my head bouncing lightly against the headrest as we traveled a bumpy road.

I stared absently out the window when a box, seemingly sealed on all sides, came into view.

Like Jimmy Stewart in “It’s A Wonderful Life” when he wished for a million bucks everytime he flicked that lighter, I closed my eyes and said to myself: “A box of money, Lord!”

We drove past, the dust roiling in our wake. The husband didn’t pay any attention to the scuff-marked box on the side of the road, and I didn’t bring it up. As the box grew smaller and smaller in my side mirror, part of me couldn’t help feeling a little regretful for not stopping.

Over the years, I’d seen lots of boxes, some small, some large, some half-flattened, and others so pristine, you’d think someone put them out there deliberately. Not once had I ever stopped.

But each time I would say to myself, “A box of money, Lord!”

Then one time I did the unthinkable. I said it out loud in front of my husband sitting in the next seat.

He burst into laughter.

“You realize when you die, you’re going to be standing at the Pearly Gates and you’re going to ask, Lord, why is it you never once granted my wish for a box of money?

And he’s going to tell you: Maria, we’ve been putting those boxes in your way your whole life and you never once stopped to open one of them.”

He turned the car around and went back to the box that had started this conversation. He stopped the car in front of it and said: “Go on. Go see what’s in the box.”

I took the challenge and with each step I asked myself a different question. Why hadn’t I ever stopped before? Was it too much trouble? Was I so certain I was in for disappointment? I certainly didn’t expect a box of money.

I approached the box and gave it a little kick—just in case it had something crawly that didn’t want to be disturbed. It had some heft to it, so something was definitely inside.

Time for the moment of truth.

I peeled open the flaps and found…

More boxes.

Just my luck.

Oh, well. I’m glad I stopped because it reminded me that opportunity is all around us. The trick is to meet it half way. Sure, I didn’t get my box of money. But it so happened we were in the middle of moving. What I really did need was boxes. Lots of boxes.

Still, I wouldn’t have minded a box of money. At least then it would have paid for the movers.

How about you? Have you ever wanted to stop for something on the side of the road? Did you do it?

***
Visit Maria at her website, blog or follow her on Twitter.