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

[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.

[Kfamr]

One of my favorite quotes, I think it could apply here.

"Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."
-Gandhi

[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?

[Karen]

Your good deeds never go unnoticed. They may go unmentioned, but that does not mean they are not noticed. And every kindness you do to someone may make them kinder to someone else. Smiles work that way, too.

I know you know that God notices, and you know in your heart that Quinn notices. She may deny it in another 10-12 years, but she is observing and absorbing every day.

My pocketbook was stolen on the first of one month, and it was not until almost one month later that I got a phone call from another similar establishment - but one in another town, that wondered had I maybe left my purse there by accident? So it may not happen right away, but don't give up hope. In my case, almost everything was gone, but they did leave a couple of my family pictures, my license - which I had already replaced, of course, and my cell phone, though they stole even the "custom" earphones for them - being deaf on one side, I buy cheap earbuds, and chop one off. Why anyone else would want them, I do not know!

And do not go hungry, please. Food pantries exist, do not be ashamed to use one this week and next. Call a local Methodist church - if they don't have a food pantry, in my experience, they'll know where one is. And if you know any gardeners, they probably would love to give you a tomato or zuchinni or six right now, depending on what's in season down there. Such things tend to all ripen at once, and one can only eat so many!

[Pam]

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.

Amen Leslie! This was your answer to prayer. Sometimes our prayers are not answered exactly in the way we expect. Sometimes His answer is even better. You DO have a gift - far more precious than anything that money can buy, and God is sending you another one! I have said probably a zillion times in my life that the most important things in all of the world are not things. They are health and family. When one has those two things they are truly rich. Karen has a good idea about checking out the food pantries. We have them up here too. In the meantime, keep on drinking in Quinn's love. She is your most precious gift.

[finn's mom]

Thank goodness for Quinn. xoxox

[Emeraldgreen]

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.

Wowwie is right! That is amazing and I'm so glad that you were given this peace. The gentleness and pure kindness shown to you by your daughter is such a perfect answer to your question of 'are my good deeds going un-noticed?' The purse being returned would have been great too but this sure seems to be a profound 'YES' from up above.

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.

I do understand why you are angry, you have every right to be. My guess is that this person is angry too and has all but given up on humanity and has resorted to these kinds of acts to get by or to get back at people. But I hope that they will somehow be given the chance to have their own moment with someone in their lives that can touch them in the way that you were touched by Quinn so they can be inspired to turn things around.

Thank you so much for sharing this story.

[sparks19]

wow... reading that post about Quinn is making ME cry. What a beautiful moment.

It is in our darkest hours that God speaks to us. It may not be a big glaring sign saying "HEY... I am answering your prayers" but rather a subtle gesture that leaves you KNOWING that he has touched you. And what better avenue for him to come to you than through a beautiful innocent child... the PROOF that there is a chance for humanity after all. nothing compares to the innocence of a child.

You ARE very blessed because you ARE a WONDERFUL person.

[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.