I take full responsibility for having lost my wallet. Perhaps I was careless about which pocket to put it in or where on my body I was carrying my bag. But since I was walking in the crowded Old City today, I don’t rule out the fact that it might have been stolen.
In my wallet, I had my New Jersey driver’s license, my Rutgers ID, my Rothberg International School ID, my debit card, my credit card, a Blockbuster card, a Stop and Shop gift card, my coffee punch card for the cafe at the Academy. I also lost a traveler’s check and a sum of cash.
I was NOT carrying my US Passport and my health insurance card, so those items are still safe.
Here are the steps I took once I realized my wallet was missing:
- I retraced my steps in the Old City and asked the shopkeepers if they had seen it.
- I reported the incident to the police—and half in Hebrew!
- When I got back to the kfar, I called the bank to cancel the cards and had replacements sent to my home in New Jersey.
- I emailed the Office of Student Activities to ask what I should do for temporary and replacement identification around campus.
- I emailed my parents to explain the situation, so they could forward my new cards to Jerusalem.
Even though I usually find my wallet when I misplace it, I wasn’t upset in deciding that my wallet was lost for good this time. I think the most upsetting thing was that the wallet itself had sentimental value.
And even though I remained level-headed about losing my wallet, many thoughts still ran through my mind. After I had backtracked the day’s events to the last moment I had my wallet, I began to visit all of the day’s events. I wondered, “Would I have done that if I knew my wallet would end up missing?” I listed.
- Would I have kept my wallet in my pocket instead of my bag?
- Would I have carried my bag a different way?
- Would I have picked this day to randomly buy souvenirs?
- Would I have spent money on chocolate?
- Would I have agreed to go to the Old City?
- Would I have taken out less money at the ATM?
- Would I have tipped the tour guide?
- Would I have left the apartment at all this morning?
- Would I have done my laundry today instead?
- Would I have just stayed in bed?
I let my mind wander to these places. And when I crossed the idea of staying in bed, I stopped. My mind was going somewhere I knew was ridiculous. I laughed and said, “Oh yeah.”
“This is why I’m so understanding…” So I lost my wallet. It’s okay. You can’t live your life scared that something’s going to happen to you, or that you’re going to make a mistake. Things happen, and you learn from them. There are always solutions to your problems. And if not, there are always ways around them.
Also, I just KNEW there was a reason why I decided to collect the Internet bills late from everyone, and why my roommates were taking their time getting back to me. It looks like I won’t be completely out of money. Things have a funny way of working themselves out.
I consider this a [self-indulgent?] spiritual experience, but I digress.