Thank God for Good People!

I had a lot on my mind on the morning I recently went shopping at Aldi’s.

A doctor’s appointment later in the afternoon, and a few projects I needed to work on when I got home, made time crucial that day. I put my pocketbook in the child seat, like always, putting the plastic seat up. After scooting through the aisles with my grocery list, I checked out, loaded up the car, and returned my carriage to the corral beside the building.

But I left the carriage outside the linked-up ones, leaving it free for someone else. I ran back to the car and drove off, patting myself on the back for being so efficient and having plenty of time to put groceries away before my appointment. Marvelous me, I smirked!

When I pulled into the parking lot of my apartment complex, I saw a friend and chatted with her before I got out of the car. When I reached for my bag to show her something on my phone, panic raced through my veins and my head pounded. There was no pocketbook in the passenger seat.

I looked in the back, thinking I couldn’t be so stupid as to have left the bag at Aldi’s, but it wasn’t there. I jumped out and raced to the trunk where the groceries were, thinking surely, I put the bag down with the groceries and forgot to bring it to the front seat. Nope. Not there either.

Acid reflux burned my throat as panic coursed through me, because I had no way to call the store – my cell phone is my only phone. I jumped in my car and raced back to the store, praying to every saint, deceased family member, my guardian angel, and especially The Big Guy, asking them all to please make sure someone honest and kind found my bag and turned it in to the manager. My throat tightened more when I realized I couldn’t even cancel my debit card because all my ID’s were in my wallet.

As I neared the store, my head suddenly quieted, like someone had placed their hand on my shoulder to tell me it would be okay. I took a deep breath and calmed myself, knowing that I could deal with whatever happened, even if it was the worst-case scenario and someone took everything. Surely there must be good people, I thought.

When I got to the store, I parked out front and ran in, interrupting the only cashier who was ringing up customers. The minute I said I lost my bag and described it, he smiled and went into the office, returning with my pocketbook! I almost cried with joy and thanked the cashier profusely, running back to my car. I checked and everything was there, even the cash. The angels had been watching out for me, after all.

To the kind person or people who found that carriage with the bright abandoned purse, you made my day. I can’t thank you in person, because I have no idea who you are, but know that your act of kindness has filled this old lady’s heart with gratitude. The universe spoke to me that day, reminding me that for every act of evil in this world, there are so many more acts of kindness. If doing even one tiny, good deed brings you good karma, it makes sense to strive for that daily.

I am blessed and humbled by the kindness of my fellow humans. God bless you, angels among us.