When I came home from this experience, I felt motivated to type out the story so that I could remember, tell my family and some close friends. I also kind of like the idea of sharing this on my blog which I hope my kids might look at some day, just to get to know me a little more in a way that they may not - or maybe they do, and right now, it's something that they just know about me, but maybe don't appreciate the active cultivation of. I don't know, even typing that feels very vulnerable and exposing in some ways, and this has more of a "journal" feel to it than most of my posts have. (Different feelings associated with food! ha!) Anyway, I do want to start this trend for myself of paying attention to and noticing when "amazing humans in the world today," since the society, news, social media, etc. is so focused on highlighting the times when people are acting in ways that are not as generous, kind, and thoughtful. So here goes. :)
Saturday, September 4, 2021
Today, I went to Trader Joe’s with $100 in my pocket, literally five $20 bills folded in my jean shorts. We’re trying to be good about cash envelopes and not spending on the credit cards (even though we pay them off every month) and so that was an intentional move.
When it was time to pay, I noticed two things: one, that I was going to go over $100 (doh!) and two, as I reached in my pocket to get the dollars, I realized they were not there. I retraced my steps in my mind, trying to remember if I moved them to my wallet, and then when I was certain I hadn’t, and that the cash was gone, I found myself looking out at the parking lot, which I could see from where I was paying.
I put the entire amount on my card and asked the cashier if it was OK that I park my cart next to them while I scan the store as I had cash in my pocket that I was afraid fell out. They said absolutely, and as I retraced my steps (starting at the produce side, literally going through the store how I did), I noticed the young guy who bagged my groceries sort of running parallel me at the opposite end of the aisle. Eventually, he caught up to me and told me that someone had turned in some cash at Customer Service, and to check there.
One of the managers started walking towards me as I was heading to the desk, asking what denominations it was that I had lost. I told him that it was five $20s all folded together, and he immediately started shaking his head and opened his cash drawer to pull out the cash with a sticky note on it. He then told me that someone had found it in the parking lot and turned it in!
I think this is SO amazing for so many reasons. I am a big believer in Karma, and my experience in general is that I have this kind of “luck” more often than not. That being said, I know that not everyone who would find $100 in a parking lot would turn it in.
I have done that sort of thing before, but many, many years ago. I remember one time specifically from when I was a kid, seeing the guy who dropped his cash at the mall when I was Christmas shopping with my mom, and then giving it back to him – she really built me up about it and noted that it was possible that was all the money he had to shop for his family for Christmas, and what a big deal it was that I gave it back to him. I remember feeling very proud that I was that kind of person, even at that young age, and I feel like it stayed with me as a character trait that I try to still hold.
I thanked the Manager profusely and then went back to where my cart was, told them the story and also thanked the cashier and the bagger guy again for being amazing humans in this world. And with each of them, I also reiterated how this is the sort of thing that helps me maintain my faith in humanity and the good of the people in the world.
I want to share this experience with my kids, Jason, my friends and other family, and I also want to remember the details of it. While I keep a daily gratitude journal, I wanted to have room for more details, and an opportunity to more easily share this in the future, and maybe even have my kids and other loved ones read it one day so that they may also see what I see, which is a world full of people who are kind, compassionate, and really do the “right” thing, even when no one is looking.
Full disclaimer – I realize that is not who everyone in the world would do this, and the ever so prevalent social media and new stories certainly don’t highlight this sort of thing. And I also don’t judge people who aren’t “like me” in that way – I can easily come up with a story of a single parent who finds the money as they are leaving the store, and can really use it more than I need it… or even just some lucky kid who feels like it is the universe providing for him… so it is all good all the way around. I just am very glad that I found it today. Oh, also, I know better than to carry that kind of money in my jean shorts!!! I do have a little bit of shame that I even put myself in that situation, so much so that I am a tiny bit nervous to share the story with others. Given how it ended (this time), I do think I will share. J
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