Olive Garden Angel

I met the spunky ball of energy known as Rev. Joyce Fisher Pierce at the Big Sky Retreat in 2014. As soon as we began talking, I fell under the spell of this woman’s joyful spirit and playful enthusiasm. If you knew Rev. Joyce, I bet you had a similar experience. She was a bright light and I am extremely grateful to have known her.  

I facilitated Family Constellations at that retreat, and Rev. Joyce had not only heard of it, she had done it. She resonated with my work deeply and requested a one-on-one session the following year. Six months later, I was both thrilled and petrified when she invited me to speak at her church, Unity of Bon Air, in Virginia. I would also be facilitating a Family Constellations workshop for her community in the afternoon. That part wasn’t scary, but it would be my first time speaking at a church on a Sunday morning.

As part of the service, I would also be guiding a short meditation before my message. The meditation I wanted to share included angel imagery at the end, but since I didn’t know this community, I was concerned that might be a little too “woo woo.” Those concerns dissipated quickly when we arrived at the church and I saw an angel statue standing watch by the Unity of Bon Air sign. Angel statues were also placed throughout the beautiful prayer garden behind the church. And in case I was still questioning, three angel paintings adorned the wall outside the sanctuary. Yes, I think the congregation will be comfortable with me using angel imagery in my meditation. 

Despite my nerves, I think my first talk went pretty well. I shared some of the key principles of Family Constellations interspersed with teachings and quotes from A Course in Miracles set against the backdrop of my journey of forgiveness with my mom. Something I said must have landed because there was a great turnout for the afternoon workshop. This community was ready to go deep! It was a very satisfying and full day. 

As if that weren’t enough for one day, there was another big blessing squeezed in between the service and the workshop. I had a delicious lunch at the Olive Garden with Rev. Joyce and my dear friend and hostess, Gail Courville. What a privilege to break breadsticks with these two inspirational women. We prayed, laughed, joked, and shared stories while enjoying the abundant supply of soup, salad, and breadsticks. 

Rev. Joyce was a regular at the Olive Garden, and she was not afraid to tell the server exactly what she did and did not want in the salad. Gail can correct me if I’m wrong, but I seem to recall that she specifically requested an obscene amount of black olives and banana peppers in that salad. She wasn’t rude, she was just very clear. And that’s exactly what we received! It was a powerful lesson for me, and one that I got to witness a few more times on subsequent visits. I cherish the memories of our lunches at the Olive Garden. 

This past week, I was speaking with Gail on the phone. We were reminiscing about Rev. Joyce who made her transition into the Light just over a year ago. Gail reminded me of some of Rev. Joyce’s affirmations, mantras, and songs that she incorporated into her sermons and classes. One of Gail's favorites was a song that spoke to every little cell in the body being happy and well to the tune of “Mama's Little Baby Loves Shortnin' Bread.” Rev. Joyce had a knack for finding ways to make powerful spiritual principles fun, playful, and accessible. (Click here to watch a YouTube video of that song.)

You can learn more about the remarkable life of Rev. Joyce in the book Being Joyced by Deb Childs with whom she collaborated before she passed.

No conversation about Rev. Joyce would be complete without mentioning our lunches at the Olive Garden, which Gail and I talked about. Last fall I was given a gift card to the Darden family of restaurants, of which, Olive Garden is one. That card had been sitting on my kitchen counter for months! I told Gail, in honor of Rev. Joyce, I was going to use that gift card and visit the Olive Garden for lunch as soon as we hung up.

After a quick search on my Maps app, I discovered the Olive Garden in Sarasota was about 20 minutes from where I live. It was a bit further than I thought, but the drive was worth it. Imagine my surprise when I walked in, approached the hostess stand, and noticed that the hostess’s name was Joyce!

Not only was the hostess wearing a “Joyce” name tag, but she was also wearing an angel pendant around her neck. Nice touch, Universe! The way the necklace fell positioned that angel right next to the name Joyce. It was such a clear sign that Rev. Joyce was right there with me. I had a difficult time containing my excitement long enough to ask this Joyce for a table for one.

Once I stepped away from the podium, I immediately texted Gail about this amazing synchronicity. She responded with just two words: “god bumps.” I got them too! 

At first, I decided it would be too weird to tell the hostess about the synchronicity. But then I had a change of heart. This woman was wearing an angel necklace, and she appeared to be in the second half of her life. Chances are she’s had life experiences that have shown her there’s more going on than meets the eye. So I risked being weird and told her about my beloved friend, Rev. Joyce, her love of the Olive Garden, and how I was honoring her memory by having soup, salad, and breadsticks that day.

This Joyce lit up when I thanked her for being my miracle. She believed that Rev. Joyce was there, and added that she must have loved me very much. I told her the feeling was mutual. It was such a beautiful, heart-opening moment, I had to text Gail to tell her what happened while I waited for my table. Meanwhile, Gail had texted Rev. Joyce’s sister about my experience, and it made her day! It never ceases to amaze me how quickly joy can spread when we are open to sharing it. 

Even though I was technically at the table by myself, I felt immersed in the energy of love and joy, like the three of us were having that meal together. I am not a fan of banana peppers, but I held one up and snapped a photo for Rev. Joyce, and sent it to Gail. What an unexpected gift to share lunch with them this week. 

When I left, I thanked the hostess again for being my miracle. She stepped out from behind the podium and I instinctively leaned in for a hug. Afterward, I realized I probably should have asked first, but it felt like the right thing to do in the moment. I think my instincts were correct because Joyce leaned in for the hug. She then surprised me by telling me I might be a miracle for her too. She smiled and hesitated for a moment before sharing that she had just started dating a man named John. I wished them well and gave her a big thumbs-up as I headed out the door. It seems by risking being weird, we got to be miracles for each other that day.

Are you ready for a miracle? Could you use a sign that you are on the right path? Maybe it’s time to follow a nudge to do something spontaneous. It would be my great honor to support you with a series of Spiritual Coaching Sessions or a one-on-one Family Constellations Session. Sessions can be done from anywhere in the world thanks to the miracle of technology. Please look around my website or send me an email for more information. You can also book a session or purchase a gift certificate for multiple sessions using the automated scheduler on my website. I look forward to creating miracles with you!

Miracles are a kind of exchange. Like all expressions of love, which are always miraculous in the true sense, the exchange reverses the physical laws. They bring more love both to the giver and the receiver.

A Course in Miracles ~ T-1.I.9:1-3