Lost and Found

I don't know what you believe...but I believe that things in this Universe link up. Some times the world seems to listen and respond.

It's not Divine, necessarily. It's not exactly predestination. But I do sometimes find that things align and unfold and regroup, often coming together beautifully.

When Steinvic and I married, I had a special bracelet made for him. It was my design, hand-crafted by a woman who made a necklace for him long ago, on my design, for his birthday that we spent together.

It was magnificent. Odd and sentimental and one-of-a-kind.

And right after we returned from our January, belated honeymoon (we married in October), it disappeared.

We searched high and low. We retraced our steps, emptied closets, searched furniture. I actually picked a fight...I was so upset and Steinvic seemed apathetic, which was in reality, fear and disbelief that it was gone and maybe a little hope that he'd find it before I discovered it missing.

We even contacted the airline, since airport security was the last place we could firmly remember him having it. We thought he'd skipped putting it on, (because it was a little awkward to put on and take off), and tucked it into his pocket, planning to put it on when we got settled on the plane. I remembered putting our jackets into the overhead and hearing a clank...at the time, I attributed that to our jacket zippers.

We received a truly kind, personal email from our airline...no bracelet was found.

And so, in these weeks, we resigned ourselves to the fact that the bracelet was gone forever. It made us sad.

And we talked about a new design...one that was similar, but not exactly the same, because I didn't like the idea of another, identical to the original, existing without being attached to us...just on the chance that it had been found by a stranger.

Tonight, I ran errands after work. Steinvic is working in Cbus and will be home tomorrow. I found clearance shirts at Macy's and did my MAC recycling so I could get a free lipstick. I went to WalMart to see the puppy beds we'd shopped online in person. I came home, exercised, did some laundry and sewed a little.

I misplaced the needle-threader my Mom got me and was pulling seat cushions off the couch, thinking it fell between them.

I went downstairs to get the vaccuum and got ready to sweep the whole room...I started to get the feeling that I'd accidentally thrown the threader away. But just in case, I wanted to vaccuum...it's a thin wire and I didn't want our new puppy to find it.

I pulled the cushion off the loveseat one last time, looking for the threader and then pulled off the other cushion...

And there was the bracelet! Found! Home. Here with us, even though we both were sure we'd looked there previously.

I cried. I kissed the bracelet. I texted a photo of it to Steinvic. I called my Mom to tell her. Steinvic called me right away and was so happy.

It's not the monetary value...it's totally the sentiment.

I don't put a lot of stock into things. As I've said before, I lost everything I owned in a horrible hurricane (that was my past life) and so, as a result, I don't care so much care about material things.

But a few, select, sentimental things...things that I meant for precious people to have...

I'm so grateful. I had written something special for Steinvic on our dry-erase board earlier tonight and I like to think that had something to do with this remarkable find...

No matter the cause, I am thankful.

Everything is as it should be. And I am lucky for a thousand reasons...

Bonus Post - The Value of an Apology

Extra post today because I realized I'd meant to tell you this and somehow, with everything going on, forgot.

Remember when I made Kicky Corn Chowder on Halloween? Well, we were kind of waiting to eat until the trick-or-treaters thinned out, so while that was cooking, we were watching TV and answering the door as the little cuties came by.

Around 7, I heard a knock and there, at our door, stood our neighbors.

The wife was right at the door with their tiny daughter and her husband stood back on the sidewalk. She didn't make eye contact but said, "Hi...I think you met my husband, but we didn't get to meet, and this is my daughter," and said both their names.

I was so surprised that I just did what instinct suggested and focused on the child. Then I shook the wife's hand and said, "Great to meet you..."

And then, from the sidewalk, the husband said, "And I'm really sorry about that. About the parking thing, and how I handled it."

Wow. That takes balls. I said, "It's okay. It's fine now." I meant it, and Steinvic feels the same way. Do I ever appreciate the sincerity of his apology and the courage it took to look me right in the face and fix what was broken.

Apologies, when they're heartfelt, really can fix everything. I am a forgiving person in most circumstances. When someone makes a true effort to right a wrong, and it's something as simple as a parking dispute, take the apology and dismiss the garbage. Life really is too short, and I'm reminded of that every day. Read the news...life is over quite quickly.

This apology from my neighbor makes me think about the person who keeps anonymously commenting here, wanting to stir the pot about the "maid of honor" situation. I'm going to address it, even though I think it would be smarter to just keep deleting the comments. Because it is, after all, my blog, and yes: if someone is confrontational and misinformed, I'll delete it, just like I delete the spambot stuff and anything else that doesn't belong here. It's not your blog; it's mine.

If someone really knew the situation, including the details of my last conversation with our mutual friend, that person would not comment. Anyone in the know would understand that I am protecting myself and my family and would also acknowledge that I'm entitled to do that peacefully. In fact, the post this person keeps commenting on is one where I'm wishing our mutual friend well, so the snide comments make no sense at all.

When someone says certain, irreversible things to you, (and slurs their words after the cocktails they've downed before calling you,) you're entitled to create some distance from that person. And anyone who is really friends with this person has undoubtedly, unfortunately been on the receiving end of what I'm talking about, because sadly, she can be very angry and unhappy, and sometimes, as a result of this anger, lashes out. Honestly, it is the only thing about this person I can't live with. And so I won't. It hurts. And I'm grown and I don't have to listen to that kind of talk any longer.

So...if our mutual friend is really better off without having to "deal with my crap," then why comment? Put your energy into something positive, as I have, and relax. You're not accomplishing a thing by posting here, unless you need this crumb of attention to survive. I am sure that isn't the case...I believe you have a good life, full of promise and friends and family. I wish you well, too, and hope your new situation is better than where you've previously been. Be well.

Arizona is Amazing...

We are here! Arizona is just as clear and hot and beautiful as it was when we left it a year ago. According to the news, it was 102 today. It didn't feel that hot, though...not at all like Ohio hot.

Look at me, resorting to talking about the weather, like we don't know each other. The real news is that I slept last night like I haven't slept in about a year. I sleep at Steinvic's aunt and uncle's like I used to sleep at my Grandma's: solid. I don't sleep this well anywhere else. I probably turned in around 9:00 p.m. Arizona time and didn't wake until 7:30 this morning. No nightmares, no dinosaurs, nothing.

We're getting ready to go out for the evening. Just to a local we're fond of. Last night was aunts and uncles and hugs and kisses and all the things we live all year for. Tonight is just being. I really thank goodness for these people. It's peaceful here. I so needed this time...

More tomorrow...or so...