Maria - Lisbon
Maria (not her real name) is a friend of Douglas’s organizer in Lisbon, and had been to see him for healing on several occasions. It was not a surprise, therefore, for Douglas to see her name on the busy schedule of bookings. When Maria arrived, she was obviously in distress. Douglas asked what the problem was, and Maria explained she was very depressed about her life. After a messy divorce, Maria was responsible for a teenage daughter. She could not find work, she missed having a partner in her life and she felt she could no longer cope. ”I don’t know which way to turn,” she said, “I feel very lonely, I can’t manage financially – I’ve lost all direction.”
Douglas told her not to give up. “In a very, very short time, your life will change in ways you cannot imagine, “ he said, “you will have everything that you have always wanted, you will meet a man who will love you and together you will be very happy.”
Maria thanked Douglas for trying to cheer her up and left the session feeling that it would be nice if things worked out as Douglas had said, but what were the chances of that . . . ?
The next day, Maria was having a coffee in a local coffee shop. Her daughter called her and they were talking in her native Italian. At the end of the conversation, a man who had been sitting in the corner approached her. “Forgive me for interrupting,” he said, “but it is unusual to hear such good Italian being spoken in Portugal. I am from Italy, and I must congratulate you.” They had another coffee together, then lunch. Somehow the afternoon passed, and they shared dinner. The man headed a large international company and was in Lisbon on business. A whirlwind romance was followed by a romantic wedding.
Maria’s life changed completely, the day after Douglas had told her that it would.
Summer 2005