It's interesting how something you have been thinking about all day can change in an instant. In this case, what I planned to write about today. I was going to write about my frustration with the return policy at a particular store where I returned a few items. Mainly, I was going to talk about how I was irritated with the return policy, not so nicely took it out on the cashier, and then realized that I was part of the problem in not being proactive in taking the items back. The receipt had expired. My fault.
As the night went on, different events made me realize just how petty my "problem" is compared to everything else going on.
Most of you have probably heard by now about the tornadoes that have devastated Oklahoma. I try to stay away from the news as much as possible because it's always so depressing. If you look long enough, you can find death, fraud, betrayal, infidelity, natural disaster, etc. in any news report. But, it's a little impossible to ignore news that has spread from news stations to all of the major social networking sites. In fact, I first heard about the tornadoes on Facebook and really didn't think much of it. At all.
That is until my mom made me watch a news report about an elementary school in Oklahoma City. It had been flattened. No more school. If that isn't bad enough, 75 students and teachers were still in the school when the tornado ripped through the city, destroying the school in the process. A whole class of 3rd grade students who had taken refuge in a hallway are still missing. And I'm worried about not getting all of my money back on a return? Really?
If this event in Oklahoma isn't enough to help me see reality a little clearer, let's go back to Facebook for another visit. What do I find? Several of my friends posting about an abduction. Now, you see these types of things on Facebook all the time. No big deal, right? Wrong. This one hit a little closer to home.
In previous posts, I've talked about the camp I work at during the summer. The staff and their children have become my "adopted" family. I have 5 younger sisters and 3 younger brothers just from the staff's families. That doesn't include the other frequent fliers that have become family- 2 more little brothers come to mind. None of the people just mentioned were abducted. (Spoiler alert: You'll get to know these individuals over the next couple months).
Why do I mention them then? Well, the two kitchen staff from camp work in the school district where the 2 abducted girls go to school. A 12 and 15 year old girl were abducted shortly after school hours today. The 12 year old was lucky enough to escape, but not before being cut up pretty badly according to news reports. The 15 year old is still missing although the abductor is said to be in custody. This 15 year old is the classmate of 3 of my "adopted" siblings.
I can't even imagine how they are feeling right now knowing that one of their classmates is missing. Most likely in pain. Scared to death. Wanting to change her choice of getting into that truck. The students at the school will get up in the morning and go back to school. See the empty desk and know why it is empty, but have no answers. Where is she? Is she wounded like her sister? Is it worse? Did she escape? No answers. Just a lot of questions. Questions that hopefully will be answered in a timely manner.
As I think about these three events, I can't help but think about how my day was so horrible because of a return-gone-wrong. Now, after spending the evening hearing and reading about these two events that are going to have a life-changing and lasting impact on several families and communities, I want to laugh at my selfishness. I lost $7.17 today on a return. Other people lost loved ones to a natural disaster and an abductor. I have a lot to be thankful for considering the grief others are experiencing right now.
What or who provides you with perspective?
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