To the person or people in Cosmo Beauty on North Ave this morning who took $1,000 from my wallet;
I don't know you and you don't know me, but as oxymoronic as it sounds, I don't think we will ever forget each other.
Little did you know that I had been looking forward to this day for a few weeks. I had a day off and It was my payday- not just any payday either. My coworkers and I made our monthly bonus (which we hadn't since August) and I had worked overtime shifts- it was a GREAT paycheck.
This morning I went to the bank to withdraw a portion from my husband's and my joint account to put into my personal account to last me the next 2 weeks at a different bank. I left the bank feeling like a straight baller with 11 crisp $100 bills in my wallet. I picked up a few groceries and some items for the kids at Target down the street.
I live on the south side of Milwaukee and we all know the majority of city's "hair stores" are on the north side. I was in desperate need of a new wig so off I drove. I figured I'd stop in Cosmo, pick up my new hair and stop and my bank's branch afterwards to deposit the rest of the money.
After I finished shopping and was being checked out by the cashier, my hand went to my left jacket pocket where I had placed my wallet as I began to shop. I stood in disbelief as I felt nothing there. I began patting my pockets... looking around on the floor, maybe it fell when I reached for it? I barely got the words out of my mouth, "My wallet...". The lady behind the register asked if I was missing a wallet and picked up my wallet from behind the counter. A flood of relief washed over me as she handed to me and explained a customer had turned it in maybe 10 mins ago. I was still thanking the woman profusely when she said, "Make sure everything is still in it". I suddenly remembered the large sum of cash I had stashed in the wallet. I ripped the zipper open and my heart sunk as I saw everything was there except for the money.
I have been trying to process this all day. I keep waiting to wake up and have this be some kind of dream. I wonder if you thought about the person who's money you took? Did you think about how it would affect their life? I wonder if you feel guilty or sorry.
Suddenly this afternoon, I realized it is Good Friday. Today we celebrate and remember our Lord, who was innocent of all sin, sacrificing his life so that we could have life everlasting. As Jesus was nailed to a cross, the people he was suffering such a tortuous and cruel death for, spat at him, mocked him and called him names. Jesus could've called it quits at any point and said "Screw this!" Instead he turned his face to heaven and said, "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do."
I want you to know that I forgive you and pray for you. I don't know your situation, what you are going through, but I know that you and I are both sinners that Christ died for that day. I pray that you come to know the love, peace and mercy that God offers us all. I am not "over" this situation by any means. I still feel like I have a boulder sitting on my chest, I feel like I'm walking around in a "broke as a joke" haze. Above all that though, I know I serve a God who hasn't failed me yet and I don't believe he brought me this far to leave me. God doesn't promise our roads would always be easy- just that we would never walk them alone.
We all "fall down" in this life but I want to encourage you to "get back up". Today has been a day of disbelief, anger, and sadness for me, but it has also been a day that challenged my heart and faith. I pray this day is the beginning of a story of change in your life. There is so much more in this life for you my friend. You can never fall to from grace.
Sincerely,
Lissa J
