Ask and you shall receive! If you want something, ask your spouse, your children, your family and friends. When all else fails, ask Hashem! What do we really need? Let’s be honest. We have food on our tables and a roof over our heads. We have family and friends who are true to us. We are very fortunate, but we always want more something for the house, special family trips, clothing, Broadway tickets, unlimited funds, and for me it was an outdoor double-seat swing chair with a canopy to indulge in on those long summer days.
The obsession started when I visited my friend Michal’s home. They had just purchased a beautiful set of outdoor furniture and amongst those pieces was a swing chair. I sat and gently rocked as the warm rays of sun hit my face, and that very moment it was heaven on earth.
I came home and told my husband that we needed to get a swing chair. We needed to get one! He looked at me and simply said, “No!” That summer came to an end and my goal for the following summer was to get a swing chair. Every morning since, I added to my prayers to Hashem to help me get the right swing chair and for my husband’s blessing to have one.
June hit and so did I. I hit every store to find the right chair, but my husband was not interested. He did, however, purchase two beautiful outdoor chairs with an ottoman. He thought that would stop my obsessing. It was a wonderful gesture on his part and I loved him more for that, but still it was not a swing chair and the prayers continued.
My youngest son graduated from kindergarten at 9:00 a.m. on a Monday morning. I hadn’t planned to take my routine exercise class that day as it promised to be an exciting, fun-filled day. Around 5:00 p.m. my older son called to let me know, at the last minute, that he would not make it to his basketball practice but would come home instead. I told myself that this was perfect timing. My youngest children just finished dinner and were outside playing. I decided to run to catch a 6:30 class at the gym. I took the “local route,” instead of the parkway, to the gym.
I was at a red light and in front of me was a car with a white piece of paper taped to the back window with the following information: “For Sale: Two-Seat Swing Chair with Canopy: Immaculate Condition, $50: Please call 516 -xxx−xxxx.” I read the sign and just then the light turned green.
I thought, “Dear G-d, this is meant for me! I started to tailgate this car as I searched for a pen and paper. (By the way, do not attempt that, as it could be dangerous!) As soon as I had written down the phone number, I felt an incredible energy of appreciation and satisfaction. I looked up and said, “Hashem, Thank You!” Even if by chance I had taken down the wrong number, my prayers from last summer were answered and that was enough for me.
This story ends with a brand new swing chair in my backyard. Since then, reading Tehillim on Shabbat has never been the same. Ask and you shall receive and yes, the answer is sometimes no. I learned the importance of the desire and the drive of my prayers. I had a specific need and focus. My focus was on a swing chair. If it was not meant for me to have it, Hashem would not have delivered it to me as He did.
Whether or not I ultimately received it would not have changed whom I was inside. We are simply humans with needs. Let’s be specific in what we ask for like praying for a loved one to get better. It is that action of desire and drive that is priceless.
I dedicate this story to my dear friend, Rochelle who has, Thank G-d, made a speedy recovery from her surgeries.
Was my story a coincidence or a miracle? You be the judge!
