This morning, as Lindsay and I walked up to our car, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. Wow, I can see the interior of our car so clearly, it looks like there’s no driver’s side window. Weird.
But as is often the case, there was a logical explanation for the apparent incongruity. It turned out that the driver’s side window was still there, it had just changed locations. Most of it was piled in the front seat. Token pieces of shattered glass covered the floor and stuck from the empty frame like stubby icicles. Someone had smashed the window in.
When something like this happens, I guess the first reaction is usually shock. Lindsay and I have occasionally seen other cars with broken out windows, but I’d always assumed the owners were the victims of someone’s personal vendetta. Or at least the vehicles seemed expensive enough to maybe yield something valuable. At any rate, it’s the kind of thing that you notice and subconsciously think, “That will never happen to me”…until it does.
At 7:15 I should have been dropping Lindsay off at work and driving off to take a final exam. Instead I was sweeping broken glass out of our car and looking in nearby dumpsters for my wallet. The shock had faded to a sick resignation, accompanied, after a few minutes, by a growing desire to find the perpetrator and bash his face in.
There was the fact that someone had violated our property—probably to buy booze. Then there was the specter of an exam I should be prepping for right now. Then there was the lost wallet—fortunately containing only about $10—but with all the accompanying hassle of canceling credit/debit cards, replacing assorted other cards and my driver’s license… Then we would need to call the insurance people and probably spend even more money on our car. Then there was the experience of driving around in winter with no window. Then there was the question of why this even had to happen…?
At some point I realized that all of these factors combined to make an excellent case for smouldering rage—which I indulged in for awhile and which wouldn’t make for very good reading.
The upshot of all this is, however, that I am really unacquainted with real suffering. In recent memory, this violation of property is the worst “violation” I’ve experienced; I’ve never been discriminated against, beat up, or anything worse. And despite the extreme inconvenience of this episode, I have to appreciate the fact that Lindsay and I have a serviceable car and that we do have money in the bank (at the moment) to pay insurance deductibles.
Sometimes it takes “shocking” accidents to reveal how good I have it. As the age-old query runs, “Should I accept good from the Lord and not evil?” (Job 2:10)
This question was made all the more compelling when I pulled my jacket out of the closet and discovered my wallet in a pocket, forgotten there yesterday. I never do that.
God wasn’t taken off guard by a vandal in the night. And I really have no right to be angry.
Monday, December 13, 2004
The Shock Treatment
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9 comments:
Hey, excellent article Arie. I relate to the phenonona of my perspective dictating my sense of thankfulness (and thus cheerfulness) to an extreme. You might be able to say it's one of the basic requirement for happiness in life...Anyway, thanks, and your writing made me breathe a sigh of relief with you when I heard where you left you wallet. :)
There I posted,
Johnny
In Locke's formulation of the Social Contract anyone who steals or destroys someone else's personal property in the manner that your vandal did would be guilty of a heinous offense. In fact, Locke would say that anyone could actually justifiably kill the perpetrator to restore things to the rightful state.
Thought your smoldering rage might be interested.
Fortunately, Locke is not Ariel's highest authority. ;)
I'm so sorry to hear about your car window, but VERY glad to know your wallet wasn't stolen on top of it all. I lost my wallet once and went through that whole cancelling-everything-and-getting-a-new-license, only to have it turned in (completely intact) to a gas station by a Hostess delivery man. I felt so relieved.
And it's true: any violation of personal property (especially intentional) really makes one feel violated. Shocking is only the first emotion!
Johnny...hi there. At last, a comment from a revered, "invisible" guest whom my supercomputer had identified as "Johnny" - my brother. :)
In the name of Locke, any of you who happen to see the perpetrator can give him a quick kick in the shins on my behalf. On this occasion I will show leniency, not requiring the death penalty.
I had already canceled my debit card and two credit cards before I stumbled (thankfully) across my wallet. I'm not complaining!
my purse has been stolen 3 times. each time, it was a complete hassle (one of them was due to my own stupidity). you are very blessed if this is the worst violation you've ever experienced. i'm so glad your wallet wasn't stolen, with that comes all kinds of risks of identity theft nowadays, and THAT is the world's biggest pain in the arse to undo. could be that Someone might be trying to send you a message about keeping your wallet in your car. hmm?
too lazy to sign in... i once had my wallet pickpocketed in the hall of my highschool. the crummy thing is that i had just gotten my license and i really loved the mugshot ...i looked so wickedly cool... anyways too bad you cannot share in my pain.
>>Your outlook on life is awesome. I always try to find something really positive in anything that happens to me...>>
Thanks for the encouragement, daydreamer. I haven't read Fulghum's book, although I have heard of it. I need to admit, though, that any "positive-minded" impulses I possess have to struggle hard to make themselves heard over my "realist" tendencies. I'm one of those people who stare perplexed (figuratively, of course ;) at those blithe optimists I occasionally see wandering around. That being said, I completely agree with the value seeing the "extraordinary" in the "ordinary." For me, Christ is the animus in this regard, the only prime mover in "bittersweetness." Where else would I find the sweet!?Kimberly, I think God's perspective gradually made itself felt yesterday. Among other things, he suggested, "Why not exercise good stewardship and keep your wallet inside on a regular basis?"
As to your remarks, "anonymous," maybe I came closer to sharing your pain than you realize. I thought my driver's licence was gone for hours, and that pic is pretty sweet too...at least, I assume that's why my wife always laughs when she sees it...
I'm sorry you have to deal with the aftermath of vandals, glad that you found your wallet, and relieved that only your car was beaten in and not you or Lindsay.
Today my son was in a car accident. He just got his car back two or three weeks ago from another accident in which he was rearended. He was without his car for over a month. This time someone pulled out into traffic in front of him. His knee was slightly injured, but otherwise he's unharmed though it looks like his car is totalled. On the good side, he has gap insurance, so if it is totalled, he can get out from under outrageous car payments and start fresh now that he has established a good credit history.
The other driver seemed alright, but did allow the paramedics to take him to the hospital for a thorough examination.
aj
Thanks be to God that he "works allthings together for good, for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes." He has multi-faceted ways of teaching us truths that hace eternal weight and sugnificance. Sometimes it takes a "shock" to open our eyes to His truth and His program. Glad He won in the end with you. I know it was a tough day (me being there and experiencing it and all)
Love,
You know who
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