Week one: Opportunity Knocks

When I told the universe in my last blog post that I wanted to work on reaching out to people, I guess it really took it to heart. Today it put me through a huge test.

I lost my wallet.

You know, the one with my drivers license, debit card, check book, PJ's social security card, various Christmas gift cards, and my food stamps (which I was depending on for the next month). When I realized that the wallet was missing I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. This is the last thing that I need right now, and to be honest, I didn't think I could handle the blow.

I got in my car and rushed to Kroger, which is the last place I had it. The lady at the customer service desk assured me that nobody had turned in a wallet. Walking back to my car without it in hand, the mental break down started. What am I going to do for the next month? Everything I need is in that wallet. Food stamps, PJ's social that I was going to take to his school for registration, the gift card to buy my new washer and dryer, everything. Today if someone would have looked up "despair" in the dictionary, you'd have seen a picture of me in that definition.

I got the opportunity to reach out to a lot of friends and family today in my total, utter weakness. I'm not even sure if some people could understand me through the sobs. Regardless, they were there for me every step of the way, assuring me everything would be O.K.

Once I was able to pull myself together I started making the necessary phone calls. The bank first, then the police station. To my surprise, somebody had already put a report in saying that they had turned in my wallet to a local Chase Bank. Immediate hope!

I got in my car, rushed over to the bank, and got my wallet back. Unfortunately the gift cards were all stolen, but the most important things were there. I'm so relieved to be sitting in my new apartment, enveloped in the love and care of friends and family, with hope that maybe, just maybe there is hope for our humanity. Thank you to that person, whoever you are, that turned in my wallet to Chase Bank. You seriously made my entire year (so far).

I'm going to wrap up this post with a quote: "When you ask God for strength, He doesn't just give it to you, but provides you the opportunity to be strong." I suppose that I asked for the opportunity to reach out to people this week, and it came knocking on my door today.

The most important thing that I learned today was "everything" that I "needed" to get by was actually not in that wallet-- I had all of that already. Thank you to my friends and family. And special thanks to my (4 year old) son PJ, who through the day would come and give me kisses, continually reassured me that everything would be "happy". I love you all so much.