My good deeds go un-noticed **EDIT**OMG IT's BACK!!!...

[Pam]

I'm sorry if this offends anyone, but tomorrow I'm stealing a McCain sign in my neighborhood.

Leslie, two wrongs have never made a right and they never will. Retaliation is not the answer. If everyone who was ever wronged retaliated it would be a world unfit to live in. I for one wouldn't want to live in a world full of people with that mindset and I don't believe you do either in your heart.

Actually my first thought about the Obama sign was that the person who took it was someone too lazy to go out and get their own. I never thought it could be a McCain person not wanting Obama to be advertised on your lawn (as if there isn't enough advertising for both sides going on via the TV and radio).

Please just take a couple of deep breaths and don't bring yourself down to the level of a few nasty people. They are to be pitied.

[Cincy'sMom]

I had a friend that was a waiter through college. After working his butt off for a particular table, they left him a 25 cent tip. He wasn't rude about it, but told them if that was all they could afford, they needed the quarter worse then he did. While it was done somewhat facetiously I have tried to use that when people do steal things...I figure they must have needed it much worse then I did and hope that they enjoyed it.

(For example, I made my BIL a blanket for Christmas. The package was stolen off his front porch and he never got it. I was upset, but I hope who ever stole it needed that blanket and that it kept them warm this past winter).

[popcornbird]

I came on PT after a LONG time today, and just feel the need to respond to this post.

Leslie, honesty is a beautiful quality, and you are honored to have that in you. Don't ever let go of it.

You may think it goes unnoticed, but that is not true at all. Let's look at things with a different perspective.

When people have lost things, and you found them and returned it to them, I guarantee those people will be praying for you and sending well wishes your way for as long as they live. Those people who were touched by your honesty will never forget it. I know because many years ago, my brother lost his wallet. That very same day, a man called, and told us he found the wallet and wanted to come over to return it. He did just that, and returned the wallet in exactly the same condition in which he found it. Though we never saw him again, and never heard from him again, we never forgot him, and always remember him as the good honest man who went out of his way to return my brother's wallet. Honesty makes a difference in this world, and you make a difference to everyone your honesty touches. That difference you make goes a long way.

Secondly, the thief, while you may think got your purse and is now enjoying it, really hasn't earned anything good. What he (or she) has earned is hate, mistrust, enemity of a kind person, the anger of God, and a guilt, that even if he/she will not admit, a guilt that will bug him/her for the rest of their life. That is not something I would ever like to earn!

Don't change your ways. Don't think, "Because my purse was stolen, and my sign was stolen, I will now go about stealing other peoples' signs!"

My husband's bike was stolen several months back. It never occured to us that just because someone brought harm to us, we should bring harm to others.

If you can find the culprit who did this, then by all means, bring that person to account. Inform the police and let them handle it. You should not make innocent people pay the price for someone else stealing your stuff though. Chances are, the person you intend to steal the sign from never harmed anyone else, and is as innocent as you. If you steal, you might only earn the anger and hate of another innocent person. The cycle should not continue. Quinn has a good mom, and I know she would want her mom to stay good...forever.

Most of all, don't forget that God created us all, and He's watching over everything everyone does. He knows who stole your purse, and if people don't bring that person to account in this world, God will. If you remain honest, God will reward you one day, but if you turn to the ways of the one who harmed you, you end up risking losing that too.

Just my two cents.

[Husky_mom]

I´m so sorry.. and I know how you feel.... loosing your stuff.. by someone stealing them or by someones idiocity is just plain disgusting and frustrating...

I had my computer formatted with all my kids first year pics in it.. no back up at all... can´t bring back time for that.. and all because the guy knew squat about what he was doing...

we also had a stolen video cam forma water park.. we had went several times on several years but this time they stole our vid right beneath our noses... we just looked to the other side for a minute and BAM it was gone.. so we had to re-enact the whole vacation... but it really sucked...

our car keys were stolen too... luckily not the car but still...


I really hope the people who stole your purse, rethinks it and returns it... a purse can come and go but your personal stuff and your pics are priceless... and besides there are no good to them ... the money is mostly as good as gone and can be replaced... maybe not right now in what your situtation is but the other things that have sentimental value are irreplaceable...

if you need help and have paypal lemme know...I´m not rich either but we can always help out when needed...

[M&M's Mommy]

*Hugs*.

I'm sorry it happened to you. I'll pray that your purse get returned. In the mean times, please call all the credit report agencies to flag your credit and cancel all charge cards. Call the police to report the incident so that you'll have proof in case your identity also got stolen.

Please don't loose hope in humanity. There are as many good people out there who're trying to do good, honest things like you've always been doing as the bad ones, if not more. Please don't switch side!

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I'm so sorry that this happened to you. Plenty of (((hugs))) going out to you. I think you handled it remarkably well...since I have become pregnant, I cry at the littlest things and something like this would have sent me over the edge!

I can honestly understand how you feel, as I too have felt the same way many times. Why bother when no one else does? The answer is that because by doing good for others you are doing good for yourself, too. It is easier, and maybe in someways satisfying to be a selfish person, but I don't think those people can honestly feel good about themselves after some personal introspection.

The world needs more people like you- even though you are frustrated and upset by others, at least you are thinking about it. Some people probably go through life without thinking and they continue to cause pain to others.

It sounds like you are a wonderful person, and I hope that things look up for you from here on out.

[Sevaede]

Oh no.. I can understand how that would be disheartening! I lost my wallet (fell out of my sweater) at a movie theatre and didn't realize it until I was already home. I went back and the manager had it, nothing missing, thankfully. I am very grateful to the nice person that turned it in.

Don't let a few bad seeds get you down. They are not worth investing the unhappiness. What goes around will come around for sure.

[AdoreMyDogs]

I'm so sorry that this happened to you. Plenty of (((hugs))) going out to you. I think you handled it remarkably well...since I have become pregnant, I cry at the littlest things and something like this would have sent me over the edge!

I can honestly understand how you feel, as I too have felt the same way many times. Why bother when no one else does? The answer is that because by doing good for others you are doing good for yourself, too. It is easier, and maybe in someways satisfying to be a selfish person, but I don't think those people can honestly feel good about themselves after some personal introspection.

The world needs more people like you- even though you are frustrated and upset by others, at least you are thinking about it. Some people probably go through life without thinking and they continue to cause pain to others.

It sounds like you are a wonderful person, and I hope that things look up for you from here on out.

Oh trust me, I've cried almost all day, cried myself to sleep last night. Not only at the loss of my purse and belongings, but at humanity. And THIS is the world that I've brought my child and future child into? I cried because I felt my spirit had been broken. I cried because I felt so much hatred towards the human race. I cried because I don't have the money to replace my missing items.....then I had an amazing, life-changing breakthrew. I sat in Quinn's room while she brought me book after book and sat on my lap for 2 seconds, only to get up and grab another book and repeat over and over until I had a few stacks of books all around me. I cried at that moment because I was so sick and sad and "broken" that someone did this, and that I didn't see any rewards for all my lifetime of honesty, my things repetidally get stolen and I can't remember if I've EVER had anything retured to me, then, and I am not making this up, my little angel Quinn, came to me, hugged me (which she does ALL the time, but not often without me asking) and then patted my back with her hand as she hugged me. I really think it was God speaking to me threw Quinn. I"m not even a super religious person, but that was God in Quinn's room with me, showing me the glorious gift He granted me because I've been a good and honest person. Not only is Quinn beautiful on the outside, but she's absolutely a beautiful human being and she's got a beautiful personality and spirit. She's my reward for being a good person.

I have been crying ever since, and even typing this makes me cry. I was wrong, my good deeds have NOT gone un-noticed at all and I am only sorry I didn't see it sooner. I was looking for material items in my life as reward for being a good, honest person when if I looked deeper I would have seen that I've got something that scum that stole my purse doesn't have, nor will EVER have. It was a huge breakthrew and it was my first and most profound religious experience of my life.

I doubt I'll see my purse again but I've made peace with it. It still sickens me that anyone could do this to another human being, but I'm more blessed then they'll EVER be.

I wanted to thank you all for the prayers. If you wish, you can still pray that at least I'll get my Quinn pictures back, but I don't know that I'll ever see the purse or my belongings again. I also wanted to thank the folks who offered to help financially. You have no idea how much that means to me. This has been a life-changing experience for me. It truly has. We DON'T have extra money out of hubby's paychecks, but today my hubby took out a loan from our 401K retirement fund and we're using that to get me new ID and inhaler and the other stuff that I need.

So, phew, this has been quite an interesting day. Spent the majority of the day sobbing and doubting humanity, felt like my spirit had been 'broken' and felt no desire to be an honest person anymore, and so full of disgust and hate. The breakthrew with Quinn in her room is something I'll never forget. I think God came to me when I needed Him most, to restore my faith in humanity and to help me realize my blessings. Wowwie.

Oh, and on a slightly different note, hubby called the Democratic HQ here in our town to request a new sign and they said that EVERYONE'S had their Obama signs stolen. Aparently, a group of folks at the Republician headquarters are paying kids $1 for each Obama sign they bring in. Gee....can you say desperate?

[jennielynn1970]

Leslie, honesty is a beautiful quality, and you are honored to have that in you. Don't ever let go of it.


Honesty makes a difference in this world, and you make a difference to everyone your honesty touches. That difference you make goes a long way.

Don't change your ways. Don't think, "Because my purse was stolen, and my sign was stolen, I will now go about stealing other peoples' signs!"

My husband's bike was stolen several months back. It never occured to us that just because someone brought harm to us, we should bring harm to others.

If you can find the culprit who did this, then by all means, bring that person to account. Inform the police and let them handle it. You should not make innocent people pay the price for someone else stealing your stuff though. Chances are, the person you intend to steal the sign from never harmed anyone else, and is as innocent as you. If you steal, you might only earn the anger and hate of another innocent person. The cycle should not continue. Quinn has a good mom, and I know she would want her mom to stay good...forever.


Just my two cents.

Couldn't agree more, and couldn't put it any better.

Hope your purse (and everything in it) gets returned.