Feeling so loved - as I get hacked.

Last week, as I sat in a big bookstore café in Seattle, I delighted in the joy and freedom of being able to work in such varied environment.

Savoring a quiche while answering emails, surrounded by strangers who were doing their own thing I felt nicely connected yet focused.

As I got ready to leave, I noticed that one of my email accounts was asking me for a new password. While it seemed strange, I figured I would address that later on as I was looking forward to getting back home to Chris.

Five minutes later, as I was about to get into my car, my phone started ringing incessantly. I finally picked up and was told by an acquaintance that she had just received an email from me telling her that I was stuck in London and needed her to lend me $2000. While I was on the phone with her, a friend called and left me a similar message. And another. And another. 

My email had been hacked. 

This felt so weird. 

Suddenly, there was no way for me to get into my account. No way for me to do any of the things that are tied to a gmail account. Things like writing on this blog for instance.

This sort of things rarely happen to me (although I do a whole bunch of computer mess up on my own) and it was interesting to sit with the discomfort, reminding myself that I was dealing with only "virtual nuisance" - ie: none of my kids were in the hospital.

And then, the next morning (at 6:30 mind you), I received a call from Gregg. Gregg and I had worked together several years ago and he was concerned. Although he and I have never met in person, we had built a closeness through the trust it takes to coach and be coached. And here's the thing: he had written "me" back in response to "my desperate email" and told "me" that he would be sending the money "I" needed!

This man, with whom I had not talked in over three years, was willing to send me $2000!

By the time we talked, he had understood what was happening (the response he had gotten from his offer to use PayPal was strange at best) and was telling me how silly he felt.

Silly? 

All of a sudden, the whole thing felt fully worth it to me. 

Between all the calls of concern I had received and Gregg's willingness to bail me out, I felt so loved that  I was all mushy. 

It was one more example of how okay things are. 

So, in the end, here I am writing this blog entry on my finally recovered account. 

I am a little more cautious than I used to be - and yet feeling safer than ever.