I-M Guilt? Help, please!

[ahimel]

I need some help reconciling ethics.

Background:
Every year since I was born, I've gone on a trip with my family every winter. We go to the Glenwood Hot Springs for a 3-day relaxation - nothing to do but eat, swim, and sleep. It's an important tradition for my family, and an important time for spiritual rest and renewal for me.
This year, it looked like money was going to prevent me from going. I needed $220 to get up there, plus money for food, and I had only $130. This tore me up, and when I put out the intention to get the money, there was strong emotional intensity behind it. Although I tried not to force the method by which the money would come to me, I did think of the possibility of someone helping pay my way.
About a week later my godparents, who also go on this trip each winter, offered to match my $130. This would give me enough to pay for the trip and $40 for food for the weekend - a tight budget, but more than enough to go.

Dilemma
Now I feel like I somehow "forced" my godparents to give me money. That, through whatever mysterious mechanism causes the LOA to operate, I manipulated them. This feeling that I used the LOA irresponsibly makes me feel out-of-sync and unbalanced, like I can't live my life joyfully because I have a secret burden.

Did I use the LOA irresponsibly? In which case, how can you tell what's a responsible use and what's not?

Or is this an emotional, gut-level reaction from the part of me that's still scarcity-minded? Should I just get over it? How do I do that?

Thanks for your thoughts,

Amanda

[Angela]

Hey, Amanda -- you didn't IMinally strongarm your godparents; you gave them a big gift: you allowed them to contribute to you and your well-being. Also, they gain in that they get to have you with them for this time together that's clearly important to all of you. There's so much abundance in this scenario that my eyes are leaking a little.

Additionally, you are giving yourself another great big gift: the lesson of what a generous thing it is to gratefully accept. Your godparents and the rest of your family also benefit by that gift you give yourself, as it's pleasure for them to be able to give to you and for you to accept with flowing love. (you know how irritating it can be when you try to contribute to someone and they block the flow with guilt or feelings of unworthiness? you're sparing them that.)

Have a fabulous time, be grateful, and generate more love and abundance for everyone!

Love,
Angela

[ReallyGoodIdeas]

The ability to accept things gracefully is a gift in itself. Maybe IM is giving you a chance to practice that!

Joy to you!
Hazel

[judge45]

Guilt is just an emotion, a negative emotion.

Turn the emotion into a positive one.

Do something for them in return, something really grateful.

Could be as simple as spending an extra 1/2 hour with them. Making them laugh, doesn't have to be complex, just a nod to the universe to say thanks.

Then everyone wins

HTH

Jeff