If you want something in life bad enough, make your desires known to the universe. This doesn’t mean you have to shout it from rooftops, tell everyone you know, take out billboard advertisements or anything like that. But put it out there. In the universe. Whisper it in all earnestness. Claim it.

This afternoon, I was honored to have my mother-in-law, Mies, accompany me to my women’s group (the Cramer Mountain Investment Club) luncheon being held in honor of Mother’s Day. My mother, Helene Streeter, passed away in July 2007, a few days after my 44^th birthday, so celebrating these meaningful times with her now take place in my heart. How wonderful it would have been to have had the two mothers in my life with me, together, at the luncheon.

As Mies and I walked into the luncheon, we were each given a raffle ticket for a giveaway later in the afternoon. I tucked mine into a tiny pocket inside my simple black purse, while my mother-in-law stashed hers inside the outside flap of her blue handbag. Throughout the luncheon, we ate, we laughed, we connected with other women – it was a wonderful luncheon.

By the time the raffle rolled around, our stomachs were placated with hearty salads (filled with our choice of chicken, shrimp or salmon), several women had enjoyed a glass of wine or two and everyone was in good spirits.

The first prize, a bottle of wine, elicited oohs and aahs all around. My guess is everyone coveted that bottle, but one woman was the lucky winner. More prizes came and went. Then, there was the prize that made my heart skip a beat. When Gina, the former CMIC President, placed her hand on top of the item and began to read out the winning ticket number, I smiled, clasped my hands together just under my chin and whispered into the universe, “That’s coming over here.” I could have been more specific in my desire, but “over here” was obviously clear enough for the universe.

“…3-4-2,” Gina said. I knew right away. Glancing across the table at my mother-in-law, my head filled with the swelling sensation of cotton—I get that way sometimes when I’m overcome with excitement.

“That’s my Oma!” I yelled excitedly. Mies didn’t know what had happened. She hadn’t realized that hers was the winning ticket.

“You won, you won!” Mies’s eyes twinkled as we smiled at one another. To an outsider, my enthusiasm far exceeded the supposed value of the prize. But when we locked eyes, we both knew. The prize was a beautiful bird feeder and it meant more to us in that moment than anything else we could have dreamed of.

My father-in-law, Peter, passed away December 14, 2015. He was an incredible human being with a passion and love of nature. His lush garden, in the village of Voorhout in the Netherlands, was his haven and he had a particular fondness for birds. The winged creatures were welcomed to the garden with bread crumbs, crackers and bird feeding balls. Several feeders dotted the garden and many hours were spent watching a myriad of birds, including blackbirds, doves, pigeons, red robins, green parakeets and, once, a heron was spotted landing next to the tiny pond in the garden.

When I spoke the words “That’s coming over here,” softly, under my breath, in a hushed whisper, I was claiming that bird feeder. In my heart, I knew that when it was time to leave the luncheon, that bird feeder would be coming home with us.

I believe the bird feeder was meant to be won by Mies. Perhaps it was Peter’s way of reaching out to her . . . to us. Even though it was her ticket that was the winner, Mies decided not to take the bird feeder back to Holland with her when she leaves on May 26. Instead, she is gifting it to us, me and my husband Maarten, so that we too can enjoy the beauty of the birds the way Peter had for so many years.

The bird feeder wasn’t the only thing to be claimed by an Albarda that day. There was still one more prize to be had. The winning ticket number was called and the prize was one of the beautiful table centerpieces. Even though I’m allergic to fresh flowers, I staked my claim when I said aloud, “That’s pretty. I’m getting that one.” And whaddya know? I won. 

Now, if only this would work with winning the lottery . . .