This week, my home was burglarized.

My guidance had told me to come home early on Monday.

I arrived about 4 p.m. and found the door to my studio completely ajar. The front door was wide open. A window to my office was wide open. And a door upstairs to the outside balcony from my bedroom was wide open.

The thieves stole two flat screen TVs, a DVD player and all my rings except the ones on my fingers.

To make matters worse, I have been paying Ackerman Security $19.90 per month for a burglar alarm.

The alarm was armed, but apparently the thieves got into my house and cut the wires.

 

There was a lot to do, beginning with repairing my alarm system. I had to pay Ackerman Security close to $1,000. They told me that my alarm system had not been working properly even before the burglary. Now we are back online and I have a radio backup so that even if future thieves dare to enter, they should be quickly foiled.

 

I could part with all my belongings except for my grandmother’s wedding ring, which was among the rings that were stolen out of my jewelry box.

 

Part of what I decided to do immediately was to choose the best possible thoughts.

 

I decided to tell myself that it was a blessing that I have now had my alarm system completely repaired and updated with all the latest equipment. The Ackerman service technicians explained how I can be even safer.

 

And I decided to tell myself that I needed to let go of the old energy in my jewelry. Nothing holds energy like jewelry. We women have a story about every piece of jewelry we have ever purchased or that has ever been given to us.

 

I looked around my house and found so many items that could have been stolen or damaged that were still there. I gave thanks for everything that was still in one piece and still in my possession.

 

About 15 months ago, I had gathered together my best friends and gave away about one third of all my jewelry.

 

My intention at the time was to let go of old energy. I was trying to make a break from the past. As women, we pick up a ring, a pair of earrings or a necklace and the entire story comes back in a flash. I wanted to let go of all those stories. I felt my friends would cherish what I had given them. I was very serious about moving ahead in my life and I did not want any material objects holding me back.

 

So part of my story about the burglary was that I had simply not given away enough jewelry.

 

We all face tragedies in our lives. By the age of 30, the average person has enough grievances to spend the rest of their life in abject depression. By the age of 50, the average person would have enough reason to give up completely.

 

Stress is all about our perception. And part of what we can do to alleviate any stress is to choose the best possible thoughts in any given situation, no matter how tragic. The sooner the better, as far as I am concerned.

 

I woke up last night thinking about my grandmother’s ring and how much I loved my grandmother and how sorry I will be not to be able to wear it any longer.

 

Then I went back to my new story. I choose to be wearing new jewelry that expresses who I am today. I can go with the flow or stay stuck in the perception of tragedy, my choice.

 

Sometimes the energy that forces us to move forward in our lives is so dramatic we have no choice but to let go and let God.