“You can become blind by seeing each day as a similar one. Each day is a different one, each day brings a miracle of its own. It’s just a matter of paying attention to this miracle.”- Paulo Coelho
On 7/10/09 – an excellent morning – I headed out to the grocery store to pick up a few things. I had on pocket-less sweat pants, so once I got my shopping cart, I put my wallet and keys in the cart to free my hands (do you see where this is going?).
After I checked out and loaded my car with the groceries, I returned my shopping cart to one of the little outside “corrals” they have between parking spots, and as I walked back to my car, I realized I forgot to purchase Lactaid (the secret to my occasional dairy consumption)! Ten steps back inside the store, I had an even bigger realization that I LEFT MY WALLET OUTSIDE in the shopping cart. I ran back out, wondering if it would still be there, but it was too late – the wallet was gone.
I felt a little discouraged, but forgave myself my mistake, affirmed this as another life lesson with some sort of hidden benefit and headed home with the groceries. After telling my wife what happened I immediately called the banks to report all my debit cards stolen. The good news was that I wasn’t carrying any cash and the license was the only thing I’d need to pay to replace, so I felt pretty good about it in spite of my immediate reaction!
A LITTLE MIRACLE
This morning, I got up at about 3am to change my newborn son’s diaper. Since I was wide awake, I decided to go to the same 24hour grocery store to grab a few items. On the way to the car, I stopped at the mailbox to get yesterdays mail and there was a handwritten envelope addressed to me with a Chevron return address (Pryor St). I wondered what it could possibly be, opened it up and inside was a panel of a KOOLs cigarette box with a note scribbled on it saying “Your wallet is at the Chevron on Pryor St {address}” – dated 7/12.
