What Does It Really Mean?

Dear Lynda:
Over the past years, valuable jewelry and photo albums have been lost to me through the actions of others. I believe I know who has taken the photo albums and have asked her about them, but she denies having them. This, of course, doesn't mean that she didn't take them and destroy them. Unfortunately, I do not have the negatives for many of the lost photos. Does this woman feel any guilt for what she's done?

I was told who probably took my jewelry, but my attempts to retrieve it have been unsuccessful. The jewelry has great sentimental value and I am thinking of asking the assistance of a very influential person in another attempt to retrieve it. What are the chances of my retrieving my possessions? What would you suggest as the most positive course of action?
Margaret, Denver, CO

Dear Margaret:
I'm glad that you didn't ask me to locate your lost items, because that isn't my forte. But I can interpret the emotional tones associated with this issue.

I believe the jewelry and photo albums are the props in a script written by your soul in order for you to learn to let go and forgive (maybe yourself as well?). The intense anger you carry with you regarding this issue is overwhelming. This has become an unhealthy obsession for you.

Look at this situation from a wider perspective. Ask yourself what the jewelry and photos mean to you and what they represent symbolically. Consider what was going on in your life at the time of the loss. What is the underlying message for you?

Many years ago when I worked for a local University, I was in the midst of a personal identity crisis. Finding myself at another fork in the road, I was stuck in the "not knowing" and was unable to move forward. One day I carelessly left my purse on top of my desk and went down the hall to run an errand. When I returned, my purse was on the floor and my wallet was gone. My wallet containing all my "identity" papers.

Instead of remaining angry, I decided to get curious about what the Universe was up to. What a coincidence that just when I was ready to change my "identity," certain socially-accepted indicators of that identity were taken away. I had asked for a clear signal and I believe I got one.

Every morning I'd sit quietly for a few moments and ask the Universe to resolve the problem in the most beneficial way for all concerned. I sent a message through the inner grapevine (my unconscious) to the thief asking him/her to take the money if it was needed, but to give back the wallet and the identity papers, if that was the most appropriate outcome. I continued my inner work for days and was willing to accept whatever happened.

About a week later I came to work to find my wallet pushed underneath the door to my office. The money was gone, but everything else was there. Shortly thereafter, I left that job and went back to school. The incident with the wallet gave me the kick in the hind end I needed to let go of the "old" me and to create a "new" me.

These strong feelings of anger are toxic. My advice is that you let go of expecting any outcome and that you work on acceptance. Once you diminish the force of the energy you are sending out against the people involved, more insight and wisdom will be available to you. Turn this over to the Universe and trust that it can work out for everyone. Let go. Nothing positive can happen until you stop focusing on the negative.
Lynda