I am writing this at the end of my day. Was it the greatest day? In some ways, it really wasn't.
This afternoon, my bag was stolen while I was eating in a restaurant. In it was "everything" - my wallet, my credit cards, my money, my cell phone, my driver's license, my favorite sunglasses and a library book. What made it bittersweet was the fact that my bag had been stolen in Barcelona a few months ago in almost the same exact way... and I told myself that I should have known better.
An hour later, I had filed a police report and canceled all of my credit cards. I learned that the thieves had purchased several Unlimited Ride MetroCards - why? Maybe they needed to get somewhere or maybe they just really needed the money. I felt angry and violated, but also strangely calm and forgiving. In that moment, I was thankful for my new friend who lent me his iPhone to look up the phone numbers in order to cancel my cards. I was also thankful for the restaurant manager who sympathized with me and gave me free desserts. I was thankful for the patrons in the store who came over to see if I was okay and who respectfully kept a close watch on their own purses afterwards.
My new friend looked in every garbage bin in the area because I had said that maybe they had just taken my wallet but thrown the rest of my stuff away. He was also nice enough to take me home in a cab because I had no money, no ATM card, no way of getting back on my own.
When I reached my front door, I shared the news with my doorman who found the spare key and opened my door for me. I told him that I was afraid the thieves might break into my apartment because they have my address and my house keys. I was thankful that he asked my super to change the lock.
When I got home, I called a girlfriend who just happened to be in her office - one of the only phone numbers I know by heart - and she took me out to dinner and walked me to her ATM where she gave me $100. Then, she came over for tea and girltalk while I searched the internet for a new cell phone. I was thankful that she happened to be in the only place where I knew where to find her and that she was willing to come to my rescue (again, after having rescued me in Barcelona).
When I shared the news with my two close friends over Gchat, they asked if I was okay, did anything happen, was I hurt. They joked and said that the thieves were probably looking at my photos on my phone at that moment. haha. There were some pretty weird ones on there. They also joked that they didn't want to be around when I told my parents, who would likely say "I told you so." I was thankful that my close friends helped me to see the levity in the situation AND that my parents did not say "I told you so."
Here I am now, after having lost my bag and everything in it, after having lost what I thought were such important pieces of my life... after having gained a new perspective. Here I am, realizing that life is not about the things you can carry with you in your bag. It's about the people who carry you when you fall.
And so, was today the greatest day? I'd say, yes, I do believe it really was.
My heart goes out to all of you mentioned here. You know who you are.
My new friend looked in every garbage bin in the area because I had said that maybe they had just taken my wallet but thrown the rest of my stuff away. He was also nice enough to take me home in a cab because I had no money, no ATM card, no way of getting back on my own.
When I reached my front door, I shared the news with my doorman who found the spare key and opened my door for me. I told him that I was afraid the thieves might break into my apartment because they have my address and my house keys. I was thankful that he asked my super to change the lock.
When I got home, I called a girlfriend who just happened to be in her office - one of the only phone numbers I know by heart - and she took me out to dinner and walked me to her ATM where she gave me $100. Then, she came over for tea and girltalk while I searched the internet for a new cell phone. I was thankful that she happened to be in the only place where I knew where to find her and that she was willing to come to my rescue (again, after having rescued me in Barcelona).
When I shared the news with my two close friends over Gchat, they asked if I was okay, did anything happen, was I hurt. They joked and said that the thieves were probably looking at my photos on my phone at that moment. haha. There were some pretty weird ones on there. They also joked that they didn't want to be around when I told my parents, who would likely say "I told you so." I was thankful that my close friends helped me to see the levity in the situation AND that my parents did not say "I told you so."
Here I am now, after having lost my bag and everything in it, after having lost what I thought were such important pieces of my life... after having gained a new perspective. Here I am, realizing that life is not about the things you can carry with you in your bag. It's about the people who carry you when you fall.
And so, was today the greatest day? I'd say, yes, I do believe it really was.
My heart goes out to all of you mentioned here. You know who you are.
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