$100

Interesting how things turn out. I decided to attend a 10:30 class at the gym at work only to find the doors locked and no one around. Since I was already dressed, I hit the path towards Torrey Pines State Park. (I am so blessed to work in one of the most beautiful places in the world.) About a mile into the walk, I stopped to stretch on a rail outlining the infamous Torrey Pines Golf Course. As I was stretching, I was bummed to see how someone had thrown their fast food wrappers on the ground. I then spotted a $100 bill! I quickly hopped over the railing and grabbed it. I somewhat expected to see a candid camera around. It didn't look real but I hung on to it for my 2 hour walk. I think it's real.

I remember loaning a friend a $100 when I hardly had a dime to my name. She was a single Mom as well and our kids went to the same pre-school. I was living with my Mother at the time. She told me she had no food or gas and I loaned her the $100. I used to wonder why she didn't pay it back even though she went on to become a nurse. I was usually curious about this when I was trying to pay the monthly bills. I know, now, that when you loan someone money, I must consider it a gift. I've been given many "gifts" in my time. Once, my dear friend/co-worker, whom I've recently reconnected with "loaned" me quite a few bills when I was having a hard time. I never asked for it - she probably just got tired of hearing me stress about how in the heck I was going to pay for my kid's school and some unexpected bill. An evelope showed up on my keyboard one morning with a note saying "no questions asked". I never paid her back and she wouldn't except it if I tried. I'll be buying her lunch till the day I die.

Times eventually improved for me financially yet were still tight when I went grocery shopping one afternoon for my Mom. This was early in her cancer diagnosis - "Nancy, go in the hall closet and get a $100 bill out of the light blue duster's pocket". (A duster is a lightweight robe). Mom had a way with stashing her money. While in Von's, I lost the $100. I was just sick! How in the world did I lose it?Today, my sister said the find was a gift from Mom - a little gift from Heaven.

Today's little find came at a good time as I've been a little stressed about raising $2200. I'm getting close but it certainly is the hardest part of the walk. At the same time, I've been blown away by how people have been so generous - a $100 dollars at a time. The money I found today will go towards my goal.

Did you know that the average cost for a mammogram nationwide is $125.