True Abundance

This is how one of my spiritual teachers described the meaning of wealth.

"When I’m alone on a starlit night, in the moon’s rays, I see an osprey descending on the tip of a telephone pole, thoughtfully to feed his chicks; I'm with that animal.

When I visit a city park, I observe giggling children at play and my heart leaps in delight at their unsupressed loudness.

I walk along the shore of the Atlantic Ocean and waves caress my feet. I can’t help but feel in my heart, a surge of infinity from that moving water. I don’t want to hold onto anything. I want to let everything go, to fly to the heavens and be free."

I resonate with his teaching. I pray for that soaring of vision that empties us of our clinging, of our need for so many possessions. That vision fills me with beauty, and wonder, as if a giant cup of God's grace is being poured all over me.

Loving What's Right Under My Nose

You know it is its very commonplace that gives money its enormous value. Like the water that we drink, money slakes our needs and is all around us. It lives in our pockets, our bank accounts and in the salaries or dividends yet to come. It is a best friend in the here and now. It is a soul's well-being.

I smile with this truth. I feel delight as I hand a bill to a florist, her flowers now in my hands, and soon to live in my friend's home. What is flowing through my hands, whether cash or card, is gift, is a sign of my communion with others. I love this gift we call money.

My Introduction as Table Topics Leader

Hello Dear Reader,

I've been a member of Toastmasters International for over a year. I belong to the Central Florida Facilitators chapter in Altamonte Springs. It's pure fun that happens in this group while we learn how better to craft our speeches.

I thought for this blog, I'd share my toastmaster introduction for my role as Table Topics Leader in this week of Thanksgiving.

"If the Catholic Church hasn't yet proclaimed a saint of Thanksiving, Adele Azar Rucquoi wants to be canonized as that Saint. Adele wakes up each morning feeling the gratitude of unbelievable blessings: the blessing of a loving husband, the blessing of loving friends, and the blessing of a new career in speaking about the beauty of money. Her aim is to lift the hearts of those who hear her, to help them lessen their financial anxieties, and to improve their relationship with their money. That's a blessing the whole world could use."

So there you have it: my public thanksgiving prayer.

Perhaps you can write your own prayer, and make sure you include the blessings that money has brought you.

Adele

No Money Talk

In my forty-seventh year, the mailman delivered a business envelope one day to my recently widowed mother. Her hands quietly tore it open and she pulled out a $12,000 check, - quarterly payment on the sale of a Kane Furniture building that my father had mortgaged before his death. She verified the numbers, walked quickly to her desk, made out the deposit slip; there was “no time to lose” she said, before getting it into the bank for additional interest. To me, twelve thousand dollars was a lot, yes, quite a lot of money.

Mom noticed my wide eyes following her. Exactly what I said to
her just then I forgot, but I do remember the strong authority behind her reply, undoubtedly a precept from God: “Honey, don’t ever talk about your money. Nobody does it. It’s nobody’s business.”

Contrary to mom’s advice, or maybe because of it, I began to look squarely at those dreaded “what if’s” regarding money talk. What would be the consequences of personal money talk? What if I did tell all, for example, tell and come clean regarding the amount of money sitting in the account I put my name to? Would friends consider me plain silly?

In our group’s talk back session, women replied: “How often do we daily catch ourselves wishing to connect particular money issues with a friend -- a purchase, a loss, a new development in our finances -- and then falling silent because of popular convention, or so-called “good manners.”

Another declared: “Look what the rule of silence about sexuality has done to past generations. Isn’t it time for money talk to come out of the closet?”

A kind of liberation catches us when we put our money fears and joys on the table. After one of our money workshops, one woman theorized: "The words and money stories spoken in our group were blessings to all of us. We helped each other."

Hey, Mom. You were so right about so many things, but sorry, not on this one.