Does energy follow intention?

Friday I had an interesting experience which seems to be the result of one of my habits. Everyday I go through lists. Not lists of things to-do but lists of things have happened. (I know that sounds unhealthy but I can go through lists: all the ties I appeared on tv. All the times I was mugged. All the times I did something I wish I hadn't done. All the things I haven't done, that I wish I'd done. etc) WHat happens when I go thorugh a list is I end up retelling the story for each item on the list. In this way I can spend hours amusing myself.

Friday I recalled all the times I found lost things, going as far back as grade school. There have also been documents I've found, including a social security card and a driver's license. In recent years I've found and returned several cell phones. I recalled each found cell-phone story in the greatest amount of detail possible.

My favorite cell phone story (the short version) goes like this. I'm walking in the middle of the street, mid-town, around dusk. I see an object in the road. I pick up a cell phone, marvel at the fact that it wasn't run over by a car, truck, or taxi. I look through the contacts and call, "Home." A woman answers on the second ring.
Me: Hi. I just found this phone and want to return it to its owner.
Woman: Where did you find it?
Me: On 25th between Park and Madison.
Lonnnggg pause.
Me: Did someone just get in trouble?
Woman: No my husband must have dropped it on his way to the gym.
I gave my work address and said the guy could pick up the phone the following day at his leisure.

As a sort of relevant side note. I was talking with my friend Lesbiana the other day. She's Latina, sort of butch and we were discussing Valentine's Day. I said I didn't think that dudes or butches should expect to get something but they should give something smallish and that's the extent of any Valentine's celebration. She agreed, saying it was a B.S. Hallmark holiday. I said, If anyone brought me f*ckin flowers that would be deal breaker. She laughed. I said, it's not funny. I hate cut flowers and anyone who gives me flowers wouldn't a know the first thing about me and I'd have to call things off.

Soooo. Back in 2005 I'm at work and the dude who is coming to pick up his cell phone is on his way to my office. I didn't expect a reward or anything. I'm on the Universal plan. I return lost cell phons, ID cards, bank cards and such bc I want to be sure that if I ever lose any of those items the person who finds them will return them, not go on a spending spree or walk off with my phone.

The dude shows up and he's holding one yellow rose. Of course he was pretty surprised by my appearance and realized he should have brought me drill bits or a philips head screw driver or something.

My assistant at the time saw the yellow rose and was like, What the f*ck is that about? (See even she'd figured out I'm not one who likes cut flowers.) I told her the story and she laughed.

And I bring all this up because on Friday after I was done writing for the night I decided that I HAD TO GO FOR A WALK. I rode the train downtown, wandered around until I decided to enter a Barnes and Noble. I read a really funny book and all that giggling did wonders for my soul. It was getting late and I realized I wanted to so I could get as much novel-writing done on Saturday as possible and decided it would be prudent to head home.

As soon as I stepped outside the B & N I had a thought. "I'm going to find something." But here's where I get confused: did I set the intention that I would find something or did I have a premonition?

I walked a bit more, entered a train station and sure enough, right there on a bench was a brand spanking new extremely fancy cell phone and no one on the platform.

I picked up the cell phone. When I got back to my neighborhood I opened up the contacts folder and picked the first name under the letter A. Luckily, Adam answered up on the second ring. I said Hi and told him I'd found the phone and could he let the person who owned the phone know and gave him my phone #.

Now here's where I give Adam a ton of credit. The dude, like the good young person that he is, sent a message via facebook and within 15 minutes the owner of the lost cell phone called me. Saturday morning I met up with her at Starbucks and returned the phone. Turns out she's from out of state and a very nice middle-aged woman. She was super-happy I returned the phone. I was just as happy to return it.

But I'm still left wondering: did I ask to find something or did I get a hit?

If I "put it out there" then I really have to work on using my skills towards attracting larger payoffs. I'm not talking about money bc I'll take a long healthy, interesting life over material wealth anyday. Actually, I'll take a long healthy life and riches.

So. Does mindset create reality or does reality inform mindset? It must be a combination of the two.