Search Topics
This Stuff Really Works!
Submitted by: Alka
Toronto, CanadaI live in Toronto with my husband and two kids. We both have busy work schedules. My husband is a doctor. I manage an IT team at a major bank. We love to travel.
In Dec 2013, after working hard for so many months, we were looking forward to a nice break in the winter. Every year we go away for a week to Cuba or Punta Cana and then come back home in time for a New Year’s party with friends. This year was different!
We didn’t make any plans in advance this year, as my dad wasn’t doing so well. He lives in India, and I didn’t feel right booking a trip down south in case I need to visit him. We finished work on Dec 20, and were so happy that the holidays were here. Even if we weren’t going south, this would mean lots of fun with friends and family! Little did we know what was in store for us!
On Saturday night at 10 PM we lost the power like thousands of others in Toronto. The first day was kinda fun, playing board games, using food from the freezer, since my stove worked as we have a gas stove. The second day the temperature in the house went to 11 degrees, but we were still okay with lots of layers and the food was still there.
The third day, it became colder so we decided to go to my in-laws place. It was a struggle to keep the garage open. The door kept sliding down. So my husband had to stick the shovel in the top of the garage while I backed the car out making sure that I don’t hit him the process. The scene outside was like in the movie 2012! It looked like the world was coming to an end. We were sleeping on sofas while the kids slept in the guest room. Mom had a fever! They didn’t have enough food either, so we were looking for food here and there, checking out which store was open.
Then I got the message that my dad’s condition was worse. I decided to go to see him and bought a ticket for the next day Dec 26. My husband came to drop me at the airport. After I checked in the luggage, he said “Hey why don’t you grab a novel for the trip, it will take your mind off of things”.
In the store, I saw The Magic. I had read The Secret before and had really liked it, so I picked this book up and thought I could use some magic in my life right now. I was sad leaving my family at Christmas time without power and going to India all by myself. I know I am a big girl, but I always traveled with my family! I started reading the book, the KLM flight was going to the place for a de-icing, when the pilot made an announcement that the second engine was leaking fuel. I thought “Oh man, what’s next?
First we have no power for over 6 days, on top of that my dad is sick and I have to go to India to see him, and now this. Am I going to die in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean due to the plane going down? I don’t even know how to swim. Well even if I did, I don’t think it would be easy to swim in the Atlantic ocean.
So anyways, I messaged my husband, since we were on the ground and my iPhone still worked. My family face-timed me and seeing their faces made my tears trickle down. At that time I reached chapter 3 in the book. It said – “Count Your Blessings”
To be honest, I didn’t feel any gratitude. I was sad and angry and very far from being grateful. But I wrote the 10 things down, like, thank you God for my great husband and 2 great kids. Thank you God that my sister is taking care of my dad and he is still alive! So I wrote 10 things and by the time I finished saying thank you for the 5th thing like the book said, my husband called and said the power is back at our home. I was so happy, I started crying even more.
By the time I said thanks for the 10th thing, the Pilot made an announcement that the engine fault was repaired and we were on our way to Amsterdam.
This stuff really works!
My God, thank you so much for making me pick this book. I told this story to almost every single one of my friends and they all loved it and said that they are going to get the book.
The story just started. If I was to tell you how this book helped me and how it helped my dad recover, I might have to write a book to describe all of that and what happened after I got book.
I could go on and on. But I am sure this must be true of many other readers, so thank you Rhonda. Thanks to all who made this book possible. It is an amazing gift to those who read it!