Faith in Humanity -- Restored

Just over a week ago, my son's winter coat (still in great condition) was taken from the locker room at the pool. (Read about it here)

I contacted the pool, every other day for a week, to see if someone returned the coat. No luck.

My faith, that the coat was taken by mistake, was beginning to wane. I felt compelled to accept the sad fact that the coat might really have been stolen. (kapparat avonot -- it's all for the best, some sort of atonement for our sins)

Then, exactly one week later, as I was leaving the pool, I stopped by the Health Club desk to say hello. In passing, I asked the woman if, by any chance, someone had turned in a boy's winter coat. Just as she responded in the negative, I noticed a thick blue coat hanging on some hooks.

I asked her about the coat. She didn't recognize it, but said it could belong to one of the many people who work there.

She got up, lifted the coat off the hook, and showed it to me. I wasn't certain that I recognized the coat. (What can I say? I remembered that his coat was blue, and had a hood; but I didn't remember specific details about the coat. It’s the chemo....)

As she returned the coat to the hook, I suddenly remembered that I had labeled my son's coat. If it was his coat, then I would be able to find our name somewhere (though I didn't remember where, exactly, I wrote it).

I asked to see the coat up close.

The woman was skeptical (our name was nowhere obvious), but she brought me the coat.

Sure enough, though it was difficult to read the black marker on the dark blue lining, our family name was clearly written. Once one knows what to look for, anyone can see it.

Thus my faith in humanity was restored. The person who took my son's winter coat really did take it by mistake.


Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

What a Day!

Today started off with great promise!

I managed to get up and get out this morning. I went to a 9:00 art class at Ma'agan. I was running late, and arrived at 9:30.

Lucky for me: the class only begins at 9:30. I wasn't even late!

I wondered if my friend, who had her last chemo session yesterday, would make it to class. She did. That made me happy too! We spent the next 2 1/2 hourse working on our next art project. Fun!

Then I met a cousin, who is in Israel for a visit. We went to lunch and had a GREAT time! She is such an interesting woman!! I really enjoy spending time with her.

I had such a good time, that I lost track of the time, and had to run to pick up my kids and get to the pool.

I should have known that the tide was turning when I ran into three different traffic jams on the way to the pool. Needless to say, I was late. This time, for real.

It wouldn't have been so bad (I was only a few minutes late), had there not been a few more surprises along the way....

My discovery:

A had left her favorite purple fleece sweatshirt in school.

Lucky for A: she remembered and ran back to school to get the sweatshirt.

Unlucky for A: she left the sweatshirt on the sidewalk when she got into my car.


Next discovery:

MD had found the library book he had left at Ofek (gifted & talented program, where he is learning all sorts of cool things), turned that book in, and took out a new book from the library.

Unlucky for MD: he left the new book on a stone wall when he got into my car.
(he doesn't remember the name of the book, but it did have rats on the cover)


My dilemma: do I ignore all this and dash into the water?


NOOOOOOOOOO!


I went straight to the office to call Moshe for help.

Unlucky for me: the office was locked!

Did I mention that the battery in my mobile phone had died?

So I went searching for another phone. Found one. Then spent over five minutes trying to describe to Moshe where the kids left their belongings so that he could call someone else (some friend or family living in the Rova) and describe to them where to search for our kids missing items.

By the time I made it to the pool, I was a full 15 minutes late! (which might have been worth it, had the friend actually found the sweatshirt or the book. However, despite her valiant efforts, she did not find either). Meanwhile, I am grateful to the very understanding mom, whose child only had half her lesson! (although it was an EXCELLENT 15 minute lesson)

Maybe things were looking up? Not.

Despite having GREAT classes, there was more "fun" in store.

Next discovery:

When we arrived at the pool, I noticed that MD was about to leave his winter coat in the car.

Lucky for me: I reminded him to bring his coat to the pool (so he would not be cold later in the evening).

Unlucky for me: Someone took his coat (by mistake?).


Did I mention that it was a really nice coat, in good condition, with a hood still attached?

Please note: the hood was detachable and it was still attached!
(If you have kids, you know what a miracle that is!)

We searched for an hour! Nothing.

Then I insisted on driving to the Rova to see if the kids could find their other stuff (even though my friend had searched very thoroughly). Nothing.


We arrived home tired, hungry and discouraged.


I called my cousin, to let her know that I had discovered her nice hand-bag in my car.

(nice to know that we are not the only ones who leave things behind....)

"The only thing I need from the bag is my book," she told me, "my husband and I are reading it for our book club."

Did I mention that, on the way to meet her, I picked up a copy of the book my book club is reading? (how cool is that?)

"If you could mail me the book," she continued, "I would appreciate it. Keep the bag."


What a day!
Net Gain: 1 hand-bag
Net Loss: 1 sweatshirt, 1 library book, 1 winter coat


And the day started out with so well....



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA