Thankfulness

Yesterday, my car was robbed.

I can't say "broken into" because I forgot to lock it.  I always lock my car.  And I forgot.

Once I realized what had happened, I wanted to cry.  I felt so violated.  People had been in my car, rustling through my stuff and had taken whatever they wanted.  My basic human right to own property had been disregarded.  Everything was gone.

Well, not everything.  The thieves had thankfully left the car seats and had not bothered taking anything that was actually installed, like the radio and DVD player (although they did make off with the DVD remote and two bluetooth headphones -- although I can't know why a remote would be of any value without the player).

I have so much to be thankful for.  It shouldn't matter that I'm now a few things poorer.  But it somehow does!  It matters because my things were unlawfully taken.  My rights were encroached upon. And I can't do anything about it.

There had been no consideration that some of the stuff had still been in the birthday bags from Hallie's party that evening. Seriously, what kind of people steal a baby's birthday gifts?!  Still in the bags?!  This was probably the most upsetting to me.  Her pretty little outfits that she hadn't even had a chance to wear -- gone.  And probably to fund someone's drug addiction.

Along with Hallie's gifts, they stole a bag of Gabriel's clothes and his DVDs -- all of them Christmas and birthday gifts and obviously belonging to a little kid (if the two car seats weren't hints enough).  Needless to say, it was a long four-hour trip home from Dallas with no entertainment for a restless two-year-old.

Yesterday was a bad day.  Every time I thought of the robbery, I felt like crying.  I realize how silly that sounds, considering nothing of real value was taken.  It could have been a lot worse.  Drew left his wallet and Blackberry in the car the night before.  Fortunately, I happened to grab them and stick them in my purse.  It was an afterthought.  I almost left them.

They could have vandalized the car, but they didn't.  They just raided the inside, leaving minimal damage where they ripped the remote out of the ceiling.

Honestly, if they had really wanted to, the thieves could have made off with the entire car.  The valet key was right there in the glovebox, which they had emptied.

I should be thankful that nothing irreplaceable was stolen, that nothing was damaged.  And I am.  I just have to keep reminding myself in the midst of an overwhelming sense of violation and indignation (and guilt that I forgot to lock the car):

I have so much to be thankful for.  I can't -- and won't -- let a little thing like a car robbery rob me of my thankfulness.