Gratitude

I’ve read two blog posts recently about gratitude that really inspired me. The first one was over at The Organic Bird where she is literally counting her blessings. She mentions a book there that I have added to my “to-read” list.

The second, and for me more moving, blog post was over at Under the Sycamore. There Ashley has taken mundane and sometimes frustrating life moments and turned them into something beautiful. You really should go read it.
I am grateful today for the justice system. I know that seems like an odd thing to be thankful for, but I received some restitution this weekend and for that I am grateful. A few years ago my husband and I held an estate sale for some of my grandmothers possessions after she passed away. At the very end of the day a woman showed up and wanted to purchase some items. It was late and I was tired and all she had was a $50 bill. Against my better judgement I took the $50 and gave her change for her items.

As soon as I was able I went to the bank and deposited all of the money. When the teller got to the $50 he paused and looked at it. Then he looked some more. He got out his counterfeit pen and ran it over the bill, and it passed, but he still looked at it. Finally he went into the back and compared it to another $50 bill. Then he came back out with both bills and gave me the bad news. My $50 was a fake (and apparently a pretty good one. Honestly I don’t remember if I could tell a difference or not.)

I remember pankicking and launching into the story of how I had gotten the $50, hoping he could tell that I was no where near clever enough to create forged money. Sadly I was out $50 plus whatever change I had given out for the fake bill. But he wrote down my statement and deposited the rest of the money into my account. And I left the bank with a story to tell.

A while later (months, a year or so, I don’t remember) I got a letter from the courts identifying me as a victim or forgery. The had arrested the woman and a trial had been set. Shortly thereafter I got a letter saying that I was entitled to restitution but that there was no guarantee when and if that money would ever get paid. So I filed the letters away and went about my life.

Then last week I got a letter from the court clerks office with a check in it. It wasn’t for the entire amount, but it was something. And for that I am grateful.