My prayer for the thief that stole our vacation

Dear God/Universe/Infinite Intelligence/Source,

It hurts and stings to have my life belongings (as a nomadic minimalist for last 2 years) stolen away from me.

It hurts and stings to have my mother and girlfriend’s belongings stolen away from them at the same time.

It hurts and stings to look in both of their eyes and tell them know that we will ultimately be canceling our planned vacation to meet and bond with one another for the first time. Especially during the holiday period.

There are so many stories swirling in my head of the many decisions I could have changed to avoid this.

I feel disappointed that I could have just continued driving to our vacation destination instead of stopping to pick up some food.

I feel sad that within 15 minutes of ordering and picking up, a thieve smashed my mother’s car window and stole 2 backpacks full of valuables and 1 luggage full of meaningful clothes totaling $5000 worth of items.

But as You have taught me all of my life, everything happens FOR me (as it is even inked on my right forearm). It is just tough to swallow that truth pill in this moment.

But I am choosing to believe that dharma. And breathing that in. So because of that:

I thank You and the thief for giving my loved ones and I a huge sign to not attend our vacation (and even cancelling our hotel the day before only to rebook somewhere else) — for we may have just avoided a much more dangerous accident that could have threatened our health/livelihood.

I thank You and the thief for allowing my loved ones and I to learn how to receive support, including a place to stay and replacement clothes from other loved ones after they heard the news — for it reminds us that we are loved and protected in every single moment.

I thank You and the thief for reminding us how much suffering there is in the world right now and thus I genuinely pray the thief can alleviate some of his/her needless suffering with the newly acquired items — for we all deserve joy and peace as our birthright.

I thank You and the thief for showing us that ‘everything can be taken but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances’ — for it is exactly the positive attitude we chose to practice after the incident that allowed us 3 to bond and create such a positive memory that will forever weave through our relationship.

I thank You and the thief for teaching us that our ‘prized’ physical items are always replaceable (even our memorable journals) and thus we get to practice non-attachment & equanimity — for everything is impermanent in this life, and so this (triggered feeling) too shall pass.

I thank You and the thief for granting us the opportunity to practice surrendering to what life gives us vs. holding onto control and expectations — for now we all get to embody spontaneity that has only created more fun memories forged in our relationship.

I pray that You can let the thief know in his/her heart that I truly forgive him/her. I pray that You can forgive this thief for You and I know and can empathize he/she is suffering. I pray that this thief can consider alternative forms of loving action to resort to next time in need of support.

I pray You show me if I get to course correct anything or any relationships in my life that led us to this incident (for maybe I deserved this). I pray You can share what other greater lessons this is meant to show me that I am not ready to understand yet right now. If there is an opportunity to receive support in this path of replacing our losses, we humbly call and welcome that in.

May we all be happy. May we all be free. May we all know peace.

Aho and Amen,

Tim