Lots of good people in the world

The ladies enjoying coffee after our six-mile walk

This New Year's Eve morning I went off to walk with the Fairhaven Walkers, exactly a week from the date of the smashed window and wild ride into theft, loss, and confusion. When I set out in the dark this morning to the meeting place for our walk, I stopped by the post office to check the box. I hadn't yet received a new debit card, so the money in my brand-new bank account was not accessible to me. But there at the post office was a registered letter and a helpful clerk who went and got it for me, before the post office was even officially open. That was nice of him. Inside the letter was my new debit card. How nice!

And I also found another interesting thing in my post office box: an envelope without a return address, sort of thick. Here is what it said on the back of the envelope:

"Found on Samish Way near Elks Club"

My checks! Of course this account has now been closed, so we'll just shred these checks, but some nice person found them and put two of their Forever stamps on the envelope and sent it to the post office address on my checks. Wasn't that a nice thing to do? No checks were used or taken, so I am glad to think that perhaps these thieves were looking for my credit and debit cards. The fact that they also got my iPad2 and camera were a bonus find, I suspect. (The backdrop behind the envelope is January's Parachutist, which was also in the post office box.)

When we gathered this morning at 8:00am, I told the ladies about last week's theft, because they had all been there, too, but it was me who was victimized. They listened with gasps of incredulity, because it could have been any one of them. One lady who was parked next to me saw the smashed-out window when she went to leave. Most put their purses behind the driver's seat and push them down out of sight. No more. They will all make changes in the way they handle their valuables, so this makes me very happy. Some good has already come from this.

I also bought this anti-theft device to put onto my steering wheel. Although it looks cumbersome, it's easy to take on and off. I put it onto the car when I'm parked at home, since they know my address and have a key to my car. Some people have suggested leaving no valuables in your car at a trailhead and opening the glove compartment to show any would-be thieves that there is nothing worth taking. I'm not sure how I will handle that, but now my driver's license and credit cards are on my person, not ever to be left in my car again.

My friend Teresa Evangeline has a wonderful post on her blog today, and it gives me a sense of what I want to strive for in the coming year. She calls it "In the Living Room of the World," and lists four important tenets that she has tried to follow ever since she read the book "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz. I found this post especially inspiring, but anyone who follows her knows this post is not an unusual one for her. She's a real find.

So now I believe I can put this incident in my life to bed and begin anew at the turning of the new year. The walking group always ushers in the new year at Lake Padden with a celebration after a walk, so they will be meeting there tomorrow morning. My friend Peggy has offered to come pick me up if I don't feel safe leaving my car parked there, but I've thought about it and realize that I am not vulnerable now in the way I was before. All valuables will be with me and not in the car, so I'll join the celebration and put the past year behind me. I do hope that all of you will have a wonderful and joyous celebration tonight.
:-)