I’m sure that most of you have heard the expression: “It’s in giving that we truly receive.” It never ceases to amaze me how many people have no problem giving, but surprisingly have a difficult time when it comes to receiving. At one time some years ago, I was right there with you. I had a real issue when it came to letting anyone either giving me something or even doing something for me!

Many years ago while living in Los Angeles, and just having broken up in a relationship, I was at a pretty low point in my life. I’d been forced to move to a small apartment and had little money to support myself, not even enough to buy a bed, furniture, or even to fix up the place. As a result, I learnt to just get by—like my parents had done when I was a child, barely making ends meet. Of course, at that time I wasn’t sitting there asking the Divine Source for a miracle, and I’m certainly not one to sit around complaining about what I don’t have. Yet miracles can and in this case do happen!

I’d only been living in the apartment for a few months when I met a new friend who was not only a brilliant and kind man, but was a designer. I never asked him for anything, or for him to do anything. I think he just realized that it was a case that he could! He walked into my place and I could see him looking around, but he said nothing. In a way, it was the silence, which said it all. Then, he just offered up suggestions of what I could do to improve my living conditions. He took it upon himself to buy supplies, fabric, drapes, furniture and anything he could to brighten up my small dark apartment. Suddenly, I had proper furniture instead of a wooden box for a table. I had nice curtains instead of a blankets nailed to the windowpanes.

I’m sure as you’re reading this, you’ll understand that I was so overwhelmed with his kindness it was hard initially to know what to say! Being a giver myself my whole life, I didn’t know how to respond or receive his generosity. Part of me knew I couldn’t do any of these things for myself for a while, yet it was just so hard to accept and receive his generosity.

When he took me out for a meal, I would scan down the menu looking at the prices first for the least expensive thing to order. He glanced up at me, and I could see that he’d noticed what I was doing. A few days later, he sat me down and said: “John, please let me help you and give this to you as a gift.” I realized then that it was not about how much money he had, but he simply wanted to honor me with a gift that he was giving from his heart to a new friend. Now, some twenty years later, he's been a constant guiding influence in my life, and has shown me that it’s really okay to receive. As a result, I've learnt that it’s wonderful to follow the Law of Abundance and be able to give and receive.

One of my friends told me of an experience she’d had with one of her best friends. Once a week they would meet for breakfast and simply enjoy a meal together, talk and share in the ups and downs of each other’s lives. Every time the bill came my friend told me how she’d grab the bill and pay it. Time after time she would pay the bill, even if her friend argued to let her pay. Finally, her friend couldn’t take it anymore and asked her: “Rina, do you feel good when you pay the bill?” Rina paused and said: “Yes, it makes me feel good that I can do this.” Her friend replied: “Well then, why won’t you give me the opportunity to feel the same way!?” Rina sat back and realized just what her friend had said. She got the message, and now they take turns paying whenever they go out to eat. It’s a fair exchange of giving and receiving.

It has taken me a lifetime to learn to receive. And I now tell my students, readers of my books, and people at my lectures, that to keep the river of abundance flowing, not only do you have to give back, but you also have to receive. It has to work both ways! Most people don’t realize by graciously receiving; whether it’s a gift, assistance, a helping hand or love, you’ll have more to give because the current of abundance will keep flowing freely.