Fortunate Cookies

You should know that I used to like to think in my mind that I am a collector. For some reason I really thought that having something special to collect was essential to healthy living and would forever and always simplify my souvenir shopping. Not to mention making me really easy to choose gifts for. So I would envision myself having these really cool and eclectic collections that everyone would be highly interested in seeing. And adding to. Or having when I die.

So I tried to "collect". I really did.

First it was bells. (Yes, bells.) But I had very high bell standards. My bells had be pretty. But more than anything they had to sound pretty. This lasted about one souvenir shopping trip out of town. Pretty bells with pretty sounds are just not an easy find in places like Tijuana.

Then it was teacups. Cool because I got some really awesome ones from my grandmother's collection. Not so cool because I also got some really awesome kids. That break stuff.

So there was soon another collection endeavor, and another, and another - each of them collections that I can't even remember. And all of them to no avail. Because, alas, the truth comes out.

Truth:
I am not a very good collector.
And except for Christmas ornaments and Nativities, I have learned to proudly embrace being collection free.

Well, it's been nearly two years since I blogged about Unfortunate Cookies. If you want, you can read about them here - http://pointshootspeak.blogspot.com/2011/03/socal-rocks-my-world.html . But if not, that's okay. All you really need to know is this:

(Stay with me here. I promise this applies.)

1. I have very strict rules about my fortune cookies. This means choosing carefully. If there is a pile of fortune cookies I will look at them, switch them around, pick them up, put them down, smell them, feel them, close my eyes, breathe in deeply, exhale, and finally settle on one to call my own. It happens quickly, but it is vital. Because my rule number one is:  If I don't open it, it's not meant for me.

2. Other people don't have these strict rules so once opened I'm okay with giving, pushing, or even throwing my fortune away. But I am never ever okay with trading it away. Or just taking someone else's. Because my rule number two is:  If I don't open it, it's not meant for me.

3. I went through a lengthy period of time where Every. Single. Fortune Cookie I opened was actually an Unfortunate Cookie. (Hence the above blog post. And this is all still relevant. I promise.) I got to the point where I was reluctant to read any fortune tucked inside my cookie. I just didn't want to know what they had to say. It really had become that discouraging.

4. But awhile ago this all began to change. I began to get Fortunate Cookies. And I began to hold on to the fortunes inside of them and pin them on my bulletin board. Because they were all so good! One after the other after the other. Each of them carefully hand-picked and opened. By me.

Enter last night.

A take-out Asian dinner for one. (Me.)
I called in.
I picked up.
I drove away.
And came home with just. one. fortune. cookie.
That someone else had chosen.

Um... intimidating. Because someone else had chosen it. And what if it broke my Fortunate Cookie streak?

I didn't really want to open it. Weird, I know. But true. So I just stared at it. No switching, picking it up and putting it down, smelling, feeling, closing my eyes and breathing. Nope, none of that. Just staring. Until I got up the guts to open it.

And this is what I found inside:

Okay. It's been a week that has felt nothing like beauty, charm or adventure, so this nearly made me cry. True story. Then I thought, "I need to pin this on the bulletin board with the rest of my Fortunate Cookie fortunes!"

And that is when it hit me.

I AM a collector...!!!
I am a collector of Fortunate Cookie Fortunes!!!
(Exciting, right? Who isn't going to want this collection when I die? Like when Kid One petitioned for my griddle and Kid Two cried about what would be left for her...)

I'm certain this collection was meant to be long before I knew it. Like destiny. Because inside the very first of my Fortunate Cookies after my Unfortunate Cookie streak was this:

I know, I know. It doesn't sound that fortunate. But trust me, on that day, at that time, it very much was.

And almost a year later, Voila! Look at my "new collection":

Remember, I hand-picked every one of these, right? Out of piles of many, right?
Pretty amazing, right?

Best of all, I figured out that if tonight's fortune had not been fortunate, it would have been okay.
Because whether I choose them or not, I know that I don't have to hold onto the unfortunate fortunes.
I don't have to allow them to break the fortunate fortune streak or get in the way of the good and encouraging things they have to offer.
After all, this is a Fortunate Cookie Fortune Collection.
And I get to keep what I want.

I think it just might be a little like life. And life really is lovely, isn't it?