I was back on the East Coast for a couple of weeks. The humidity was on full display. Who needs a sauna when you have 90% humidity? But allow me to digress.

On the plane ride back to the West Coast, I sat with a woman that was very social. Once she discovered I was a financial planner, she had a lot to talk about. What was really interesting about our conversation was her description of how she manages her personal finances. As she said, money scares her. She gets sick to her stomach every time she has to deal with it or make a decision about what to do with it. She is 72, recently widowed. She was married for 52 years to her soul mate-her words. Gulp! I’m the sentimental type so she sensed I was about to feel sorry for her, or cry, or both, and she wanted no part of that.

What I found fascinating was her story of how she now needs to understand money, how it works, how to invest it, how to plan, etc. She comes from a generation of couples where it was very common for the man to handle the finances. She raised the kids and kept the household running smoothly. Now she faces a world of uncertainty and does not know where to turn for trusted advice. Her two daughters both live outside of the U.S and she does not want to burden them.

Well, sensing an opportunity to be of service, I spent the next 3 hours reviewing her finances. I pulled out my laptop, loaded her numbers into my software, (she had everything written down in her notebook) and designed a basic financial plan for her. To say she was grateful is a vast understatement. Today I received a heartfelt thank you note from her. I will cherish this note for the rest of my life.

Financial planning is a profession of givers, people that love to be of service. So my story of helping this wonderful woman is by no means unique. What I take away from this experience is how many of our mothers are out there in a similar situation. If you have some business savvy or finance savvy, lending an ear and offering some helpful guidance can go a long, long way.

I have believed for a very long time that the more you give, the more you receive. This is the power of money and spirituality combined with intention. Next time you imagine attracting more abundance into your life, think about how you can be of service and watch the magic happen.