Today nothing went as planned. I had packed and planned ahead. I knew which train I had to take to San Jose, and how to get to the greyhound station to take the bus north to McKinnleyville, where I was planning to visit my friend, Sally for a couple of days. I had bought stamps so that I could spend the 4 hr layover in Oakland writing postcards to people back home. I was planning to study "a return to love" by Marianne Williamsen on the 6.5 hr bus ride to Arcata. But that's not how the day went.
I left my purse containing my iPad and wallet on the train when I got off at San Jose. The train had already left the platform when I discovered what had happened. I ended up spending the rest of the day trying to locate my bag, to no avail. I called customer service from from San Jose, I took a train to the lost and found in Santa Clara, before finally admitting my stupidity to Roland and making my way back to his house feeling like a total idiot and a complete imposition. Roland was very nice about it and was totally on board with having me for a couple more days, but when I called Sally, she said she wanted to come and get me. She's leaving tonight, and arriving early tomorrow morning to pick me up.
For the past few days I've been thinking about the things that make me feel safe and whole. Things with which I tend to identify: my career, my relationships, being a mother, living in the country, having a dog, being able to travel. Now I am suddenly discovering how attached I am to a piece of electronic equipment - my iPad. It has my diary, my books, my address book, my cookbook, my calendar, a meditation, all kinds of notes, and my connection to the Internet with email, blogs, Facebook, Carcassonne, yoga etc. and then there's my wallet containing my credit cards, drivers license, Norwegian Imigration card, stamps etc. without my iPad, I feel naked. Without my wallet, I feel paralyzed.
The lack of those two items makes me feel so helpless. And it was still a beautiful, warm, sunshiny day, with the scent of flowers and friendly people and a train where they didn't check my tickets, because though I had accidentally bought 4 tickets instead of one, they were in the missing bag. And I have clothes to wear and a couple of good books in my suitcase. I still have my phone and my passport and my bus and plane tickets, because they were in my backpack. I have a brother and sister-in-law with whom I can stay and who could lend me money. He even let me use his iPad this evening. His orange tree is still providing oranges and his lemon tree, lemonade. And I know my meditation by heart. So really, I am fine.
I left my purse containing my iPad and wallet on the train when I got off at San Jose. The train had already left the platform when I discovered what had happened. I ended up spending the rest of the day trying to locate my bag, to no avail. I called customer service from from San Jose, I took a train to the lost and found in Santa Clara, before finally admitting my stupidity to Roland and making my way back to his house feeling like a total idiot and a complete imposition. Roland was very nice about it and was totally on board with having me for a couple more days, but when I called Sally, she said she wanted to come and get me. She's leaving tonight, and arriving early tomorrow morning to pick me up.
For the past few days I've been thinking about the things that make me feel safe and whole. Things with which I tend to identify: my career, my relationships, being a mother, living in the country, having a dog, being able to travel. Now I am suddenly discovering how attached I am to a piece of electronic equipment - my iPad. It has my diary, my books, my address book, my cookbook, my calendar, a meditation, all kinds of notes, and my connection to the Internet with email, blogs, Facebook, Carcassonne, yoga etc. and then there's my wallet containing my credit cards, drivers license, Norwegian Imigration card, stamps etc. without my iPad, I feel naked. Without my wallet, I feel paralyzed.
The lack of those two items makes me feel so helpless. And it was still a beautiful, warm, sunshiny day, with the scent of flowers and friendly people and a train where they didn't check my tickets, because though I had accidentally bought 4 tickets instead of one, they were in the missing bag. And I have clothes to wear and a couple of good books in my suitcase. I still have my phone and my passport and my bus and plane tickets, because they were in my backpack. I have a brother and sister-in-law with whom I can stay and who could lend me money. He even let me use his iPad this evening. His orange tree is still providing oranges and his lemon tree, lemonade. And I know my meditation by heart. So really, I am fine.
oh, Gudrun, my thoughts and prayers are with you! What an awful feeling to be without your wallet and all it contains, as well as your ipad. I hope some kind and honest soul finds your things and finds a way to return them to you. Talk to those Angels!!
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