Lost My Wallet and Found Some Insight in the Process

tacogirl August 31, 2015

Yesterday evening I had a very unfortunate experience. I went to go check my wallet to see how much cash I had on me that was earmarked for a bill and it was nowhere to be found. My stomach sank and instantly I felt nauseous at the thought. Immediately after dumping my bag upside down and shaking it to make sure everything fell out, I started my memory recall process. The last place I remember seeing it in my mind’s eye was while I was paying at the fruit market Saturday evening, and there is a one minute blank as to seeing where I put it, between then and getting on the cart.

I decided to leave no stone unturned. I immediately Facebook messaged my friend Aimee and ask if she could check her cart in case it was on there somewhere – it wasn’t. She then loaned me the cart so I could check at the fruit market and the guy said “come back tomorrow” when his sister was there as she was the one I had shopped with.

As to the insight part, I was commiserating with Kendall about my unfortunate Sunday evening downer and knowing the way I think, he said, “Maybe whoever found that wallet was in a really bad way and that cash saved them and feed their hungry kids.” That was just what I needed to hear and his words got me thinking in a more positive way about what up until then had been an unpleasant situation.

I continued to search and shuffle things around to see if I may have somehow placed my wallet somewhere in the kitchen when I was dropping all my groceries off. As I was looking in one of my frequently used purses hanging on a chair I found 2 of my stylus pens I thought I had lost. This took Kendall’s line of thinking to a deeper level as I considered that there are people on this island (in this world) that do not have a wallet, bank cards or money to lose and that I should try not to get too bent out of shape over it.

Other things I did to cover myself for the lost wallet

Called 911 and was told nothing had been turned in, and to try again tomorrow. The policeman on the other end asked no name or details.
Posted on Residents only Ambergris Caye Facebook page and San Pablo/San Marcos neighborhood watch group.
Since there is no 24h Atlantic bank number I wrote them on their online contact form and took a screenshot of what I wrote just in case I need to prove I reported the card missing.
Set in motion in the process to cancel and get a new Canadian card which I was told will take up to a month to arrive. It must be coming on the Mayflower 🙂

This morning while my editor was checking my write up about the benefits of Elevate brain training app, I decided to knock off a few fast errands. One of them being a walk back to the fruit market and check if my wallet somehow turned up and the other was drop off my recycling. As I was getting my coffee jar collection to deliver to Maria and Jorge’s place (see my post called One Way I Practice Recycling for more info – Greenhouse is another occasional recipient) I found a stashed pay it forward money jar that I had forgotten about.

I figured now was as good a time as any to send that out to the universe hoping not only that someone in need would find the jar but that I could appease the money gods and help my situation. Although I do believe in miracles, at this point I am not really expecting my wallet to come back but still hopeful that nothing happens as far as people trying to use bank cards.

After dropping off 2 big bags of coffee jars to a happy Jorge, I was left with carrying the heavy money jar packed full of at least $10 – $15 worth of change. I got to thinking of it as a bit of a burden and then I remembered Kendall’s words from last night and readjusted my thinking, on carrying something that made me slightly uncomfortable due to its weight. As I walked to the location I planned to leave the jar, I shifted my thoughts to how it could possibly make a big difference for a family who needed food money, or it could be a major found treasure for a child 🙂