I won the split the pot! I won the split the pot! 8:30, Thursday morning, I got a call from the yeshivah to tell me the good news.

Mrs. Levy?” the lady on the phone asked me. “Which Mrs. Levy is this?”

“Evelyn,” I told her, “it's your friend of 20 years, Jayne Levy.” She was so happy for me. When I hung up the phone, I too felt a special excitement.

How did this happen? I wasn't planning to attend any Chinese Auctions this summer. I had certainly forgotten about this one, but Hashem was guiding my steps.

Two weeks before the auction, my girlfriend invited me to a fundraiser for orphaned brides in Israel. She was sponsoring it in her home. I could not refuse. About 40 women gathered to hear a stunning speaker who moved us to dig deep into our pockets. A long time friend, the rabbi’s wife, reminded me personally to come to the auction. I responded bli neder (without making a formal commitment).

With the excitement of my children and grandchildren arriving from Israel, I forgot all about this event. The night of the auction my girlfriend's daughter called me. In conversation, she asked whether I was going to the auction. I said, “Probably not. Well, maybe. All right—nothing else is on my schedule.” I called my girlfriend to join me. Amazingly enough, she had already pre-purchased tickets, and was on her way to the auction.

When I arrived, I paid the entrance fee and put the ticket stubs in the jewelry boxes. The auction was beautiful; so many people had put so much work into this event. The luxury items that were donated and arranged in beautiful prize packages attracted many.

I picked up a Diet Coke and sat down with some friends. Contestants were playing a noisy game of “Deal or No Deal.” The enthusiasm of the emcee caught our attention. I moved from table to table enjoying the camaraderie.

One of my friends asked me to watch her purse while she went to distribute her tickets. Although I was ready to leave, I agreed to stay. When she returned, we chatted while she enjoyed a late dinner. I felt very happy that I had been able to accommodate her.

Before 11pm, I was ready to go home. I even made arrangements to drive someone else. As I walked to the door, I saw my friend collecting tickets. I said, “What is this for?” She told me, “Five dollars for one, and $20 for seven.” I scribbled my name and phone number reluctantly on each of the seven tickets I bought and gave them back to her. Apparently, more than 300 other people had done the same thing. I returned home and went to sleep.

The following morning, I had been up more than two hours when the phone rang. I was speechless when my friend told me that I was the winner.

We are all winners, every day. We need only reflect on the day's events to realize our good fortune. I continue to recall with pleasure the joy I felt when I received that phone call. Later that afternoon, I went to the yeshivah office. I enjoyed returning 20% of my winnings to the yeshivah.

May Hashem continue to provide us with the ability to focus on our pleasures and use our memories and thoughts positively. We must remember to keep our eyes and ears open for opportunities to do mitzvot and, in turn, to appreciated Hashem's blessings. We should also remember to be sincere when we compliment another person's success.
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B. Jayne Levy is the owner of BJL Financial Services. She has been a financial specialist since 1991. She is featured in the Cambridge Who's Who, a distinguished reference directory.