Somebody stole some giftcards that someone was sending to me via interoffice mail. When I got the envelope, it was unfastened. When I saw who it was from, I immediately knew the envelope would be empty. It was. Two giftcards, gone. Just like that.
This made me feel very sad. I felt sad because I thought about the person who took them. I thought about how this act was a reflection of their soul. I thought about how it stripped them of a little bit of their dignity. I thought about how it reinforced to them, on some level, that they are a worthless piece of human debris. They don’t even qualify as trash. They’re just debris. They are a tiny particle of manure in a vast sea of humanity. They are nothing. They are not even worth the plastic they stole.
Of course, I don’t believe this; I think that this is, on some level, what they must think of themselves. Our actions towards others are almost always a reflection of our own sense of self. I cannot believe that their actions have given them any sense of satisfaction. I do not believe that their actions have done anything other than made them feel just a little bit worse about themselves. Sadly, the worse they feel about their lot in life and about their own sense of worth, the more likely they are to do precisely those things that will eat away at what remains of their self esteem.
See, I don’t believe that they are worthless. I don’t believe that they are “nothing.” I don’t believe that they are debris, garbage, a waste of human flesh. I know that they are a human being who experiences the same range of emotions I do. I know that they are like the vast majority of humanity and wish only to have the freedom to live a fulfilling, happy life. I know that they deserve all the rights and privileges that I have. At out essence, we are the same. Circumstance makes us different. Circumstance took us down distinct paths. Circumstance separates us, nothing more.
Whoever you are, I know that you stole those giftcards because you thought you were taking something away from someone. This was meant to satisfy something inside of you. You think that you did it to give something to yourself. Unfortunately, it really didn’t inted for your actions to be an act of giving. You did it to take away. But you didn’t take anything away from me. You took away something from yourself.
That plastic wasn’t worth it, my friend. There’s nothing in the world that those two $10 giftcards can buy you that can undo the damage you did to yourself. I’ve got nothing but love for you, my brother or sister. I hope that somehow you can feel that. Nothing but compassion can make us whole. You’re obviously walking a difficult path. I wish you peace and love on your journey.
Stealing is more about you than it is about me.
Illuminate Possibilities 