The Money Eel

In the late 80’s, a girlfriend and I took a trip to the Yucatan Peninsula. I had never been to Mexico and I was really looking forward to some much needed rest and relaxation. The cabins where we stayed were quite rustic and had no air conditioning, television or telephone, but they took care of the necessities - a complimentary hammock just outside each cabin. The expansive private beach was wonderful and I felt like an explorer; much like I felt as a child, exploring the woods around my home. In all honesty, I was not prepared for this perfectly magical setting with the crystal clear blue water – really it was more a vibrant shade of aqua. During the day, we would pack some snacks and head down the beach looking for whatever adventure we would encounter. Generally, we did not run into any other people. We spent our time in deep conversation and wading in the water with schools of brightly colored fish surrounding us.

One day, we decided to take a short drive to snorkel at Xel-ha (pronounced Shel-ha). This was my first time to snorkel and I was very excited. Placing the fins on my feet, the mask on my eyes and the snorkel in my mouth, I discovered a whole other world under the sea. The fish were mesmerizing to me and I was taken by their graceful, fluid movements - and their lighting quick agility. There were so many and such a variety of fellow swimmers…blue fish with yellow fins, black and white striped fish and stingrays, all coexisting together.

Then, I noticed that floating on the bottom, in the sand, were some dollar bills – the kind with 50’s and 100’s on them. As I blinked my eyes a few times, I could see that there were quite a few scattered around some large rocks. As I began to plan my approach to dive for my treasure, I noticed a “face,” looming the background. It was the face of a moray eel carefully camouflaged in the rocks, overseeing the money. It was as though the eel was the armored Brinks truck of the water world; keeping watch on the “bank.” I realized that he was fairly large and could do some damage if a lily white hand came close to his jaws. After giving this some thought, I snorkeled away from the scene. It was a strong message from me - to me - that I would always be taken care of, financially and every other way, by the universe and I did not need to potentially harm myself or take great risks in order to get my fair share of anything in life.

After a few years, I found myself back at Xel-ha, snorkeling with my family. On the drive, I told my story of the last time I was there and, of course, the money eel. I didn’t realize at the time that the end of the story was still in the making. As I was eating a bite of lunch, I looked down and beside my chair was a $50 bill. Hummmm…why hadn’t I seen it when I sat down? There were no other patrons in the restaurant at the time and therefore, no way to mistake this poignant gift from Source. You see, I believe that as long as we - the ones in the physical bodies - are in a state of allowing, the power that creates worlds oversees our well-being. Well Being abounds, my friends. Do you see it?

Love,

Brenda