[Sabrina]

I accidentally and frankly, quite stupidly, left my gym gloves and spinning gel seat next to the treadmill on Wednesday. I only noticed them missing this morning and realized straight away when and where I had left them. I immediately went to reception and what do you know ....... nothing had been handed in. Some fine individual saw fit to take these items for themselves.

Both were gifts from my husband. I am dreading having to tell him. He won't be angry with me or anything, but I wish I didn't have to tell him. I am so very angry with myself. For being absent minded. For being stupid. For losing two items that might not mean much to others but meant so much to me.

I just turned around and went home without even going to gym. I have cried buckets. So what is done is done. I can't change it. Nor do I have the money to replace these much needed items. I am just so angry right now.

My faith in humanity has taken a huge knock, all because of one dishonest individual, whom I'd sincerely like to call some nasty names right now.

Sabrina, accidents happen - if that self hating person felt the need to take something that wasn't theirs than obvisouly they must really need them.... (not really but if they were that desparate)
I'd just put it off like that -
Yes it is a material loss....and sentimental
But your not the one who will be wearing them and knowing EVERY moment they have on something that they STOLED. AND just think how nervous they'll feel if they think the owner recognizes them.

Geez that person really themselfs into a head trip over what gloves - poor them

[eskielover]

I know exactly how you are feeling.....similar thing happened to me 2 years ago.....when I was packing my truck to drive from my farm in Kentucky to drive back to California, I was only packing a few things & cloths to wear while there. I was planning on practicing my flute as I was going to play for my church here in Kentucky at Christmas.....When I was packing my truck, a little voice inside said that I needed to put my flute under the seat in my truck.....& was in such a hurry to pack & had already put things on top of the seat area where I was thinking to put my flute (my flute was a solid sterling silver flute...professional flute I had since college). I blew if off thinking, I was just driving there & no one would get into my truck anyway, so I left in in the bottom of my catch all bag that I threw everything I thought I would go through once I got back.

Well, I drove into Albuquerque, New Mexico.....late at night after running out of gas on the highway. Checked into a motel.....thinking only of getting a little sleep & getting going early in the morning. Went out to my truck the next morning & my truck had been broken into.....the only bag stolen was that bag that my flute was in....it was at the bottom, so I know they didn't take the bag because of that....but it had all my receipts & information I was working on filing on the expenses for my farm.......turned out later that day, I found out that my ID had also been stolen off the credit card I used to pay for the motel room.....the police would't do anything about it. A nice lady from the news paper wrote an article about my flute, of no avail. I wrote a letter to the lady who my stolen credit card was used to help but she never got the letter (it was sent certified).

I am still crushed by the loss of my flute....it was so expensive that I could never replace it & what little money I got from the insurance was needed for medications a few months later. I still am in tears at the loss.....my flute had gotten me through much of my depression & I had played it at my fathers funeral.....it was part of my life that I can't replace.......I understand how horrible you feel....not only at yourself for not having been distracted & forgetting to pick up your things, but also that there are people who are in this world that take things that aren't theirs with no bad feelings.....the anger that there are people out there who do things like that is even more to be irritated at than our forgetfullness or in my case, lack of following through on that little voice that told me what I should have done.

I have realized that when things like this happen, it is a loss that we go through a grieving process with.....not an easy thing to realize either.....it takes time & I know for one, I have lost all trust in humanity.

Be nice to yourself...it takes time to get through how you are feeling I know....& you have a right to be angry at whoever did this. With time the pain lessens, but the reality of having something taken from you never really goes away.

Take care of yourself in all of these feelings & don't beat yourself up for not having remembered your items at the time.


Debbie

[gymnist]

Hi Sabrina, I understand how you feel, in my case however my own step daughter steals from me and my home constantly and I can't replace any of these items either in which amount to lots of money, she just steals from everyone period, she's a clepto!! and I'm soooooo ANGRY I hold deep resentment (which doesn't help me) but I don't know how to get rid of it, and her father doesn't care one bit!!! One time recently she she waited 5-6 months I knew she stole my stuff, and I kept asking for it back and she was so mean, well here is what killed me I went into her closet looking for my fall decorations i had stored in there and there were 2 of my things, and she destroyed one of them, she actually had the odasity to tell me she didn't have them, well I caught her red handed. now I have to hide even my towels and face clothes everything I own and keep my bedroom door pad locked, thats pathetic!!! I'm sorry for your loss but its not your fault.

[Elysium]

Sabrina....

I'm sorry someone stole your belongings. I don't know what people think and then how they live with the notion that they are thieves?

A thought struck me though....Does your gym have any security cameras inside? The gym I used to go to did. It might be worth a call to find out. If they did have some, and had a tape of the day/time you were there, maybe they could see who took them.

[perpetuallysad]

(((sabrina))) Don't be so hard on yourself. I'm sure your husband will not be angry. Christmas is coming soon, maybe he could replace them for you for a present? I hope you feel better soon. Check with the reception again or look around the room you left them in, they may have gotten moved around.

[Sabrina]

Thank you all for your support.

Elysium, good idea but this is a small gym in the throes of huge renovations so no cameras.

perpetuallysad, I left them on the floor next to the treadmill in the main area of the gym. I checked there this morning and I looked in the spin class in case someone thought to leave them there. No luck. I will keep checking in with reception though.

I have felt awful over the course of the day. This has really been a downer for me. Hubby got home in a bad mood so I am putting off telling him.

I need to stop beating myself over the head now. What is done is done. Time to move on. But I feel so sad!

[garden]

I understand the feeling around the loss - a feeling of someone knowing and think its perfectly fine not to do the right thing.

Accidents happen ((( Sabrina ))) The best of us forget things and misplace things and then the worst of us can steal it, it's sad, but don't let a petty thief bring you down. No reason to be angry at yourself, it's normal to forget something at the gym.

[notz]

Sabrina,

I hate this for you! You are so kind and loving and that person is unkind and hateful. I hope it stands as a reminder for all of us to be aware of our belongings.

Leaving items in plain view and unattended serves it up on a silver platter. (pardon my chant, I'm the safety educator in my neighborhood and can't help myself!)

[Sabrina]

Yes, I was foolish. They were in my view all the time, just forgot them when I got off the treadmill. Lesson well learnt - I doubt I will ever do something like this again!

[Zen888]

((((((((((((Sabrina))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Be gentle with yourself!

[Sabrina]

Thank you Zen!!

Well, I have told hubby. He was gentle and understanding and quite sympathetic that I have had such a hard and tearful day because of it. And all this after he brought home a gift for me.

So, I do feel a bit better now.

[perpetuallysad]

Yea! I am glad you have a sweet hubby.

[lynn P.]

Hi Sabrina,
I'm sorry you had your belongings taken. I also know tthe frustration of losing something. I like what Starlite said. Keep an eye open to see if anyone is wearing your gloves next class.

Several years ago I was putting groceries in the car. I put my purse on the ground(dumb I know), to put a heavy watermelon in the car and accidently left the purse on the ground and drove away. It had all the credit cards, identification, drivers license and health card in it. I called the store to see if anyone turned it in, but they didn't. It cost me a fair amount fo money and inconvenience to replace all of those things. Another dumb moment for me was when I left my purse on a Walmart shelf - you would think I learned my lesson but "Noooo"!! Luckily this time someone turned it in and I felt very relieved. I have also found wallets and returned them, once right to their door. One time we had those big bottles of water delivered and left outside our door - well would you believe someone stole them!! I'm glad your hubby made you feel better.

[Sabrina]

Thanks for sharing your story Lynn. It is good to know that we all make mistakes like this once in a while and need to learn to live with the consequences.

I feel I need to share what hubby said to me. So I opened the conversation by telling him I had "lost" my items. He immediately interrupted me and asked, "lost or stolen?". Now to me, that was intuitive! He knew I would never have lost them but that they must of been stolen, even if by my own carelessness. I am still feeling amazed by the sensitive way he handled it. And there I was, so afraid to tell him!

[Shangrala]

Awww, Sabrina. I'm so sorry for your loss, and the fact that you have to deal with the insensitive peeps out there.
You are soooooooooo fortunate to have such a loving and understanding hubby. That brought tears to the eyes..his response.

I, too, have been ripped off. Great timing too. At Christmas. Left car filled with all the gifts I'd just purchased that day, covered with blanket, as I was heading out to travel to deliver the next morning. Woke to finding my window broken out of car and everything taken. All my money spent on them, so I couldn't replace. It was a horrible experience.

But you know, despite the fact that there are those who do have no problem with violating another, that does not mean ALL of humanity is the same. I'm a hopeless hopeful and I truly believe that there are just as many good souls out there as there are bad, we just have been forced to learn to "hide" ourselves from the public, (or, more appropriately, preying) eye as a means of self-preservation.

Try not to give up faith that there are good peeps out there.
We DO exist.

Many hugs & loves your way. I am so sorry this happened to you.

Shangrala

[Sabrina]

How awful to have your bought Christmas gifts stolen. Sorry you had to experience that.

[Sabrina]

My beautiful husband just came home with a brand new seat and gloves for me. I haven't any words to express how I feel! He said he hated to see me so sad!

[opheliasorrow]

Sabrina I'm so very sorry this happened to you. So many times I'm sure we've all done things like this I know I have .... and as for the thieves who stole them, I believe in karma .... please try not to be so hard on yourself honey ... unfortunately there are people who delight in taking things belonging to others, I hope you feel better at least knowing you could never do such a thing and would hand them in, these people know no better, we have to feel sorry that they stoop to this level .... Kerry xxxxx

[VickiesPath]

Last summer, my son came home for a short visit of four weeks before going back to Kansas to attend his 10th grade at high school. He and his best buddy here in Phoenix had been planning to attend a big rock bash for months. My son is a very responsible young man and he's had a cell phone since he was 9 years old because we live on a mountain and I have mobility problems and could never just "run next door" to find him when dinner was ready. Over the years, he's never lost his phone even once and only one time, carelessly jumped into a swimming pool with it in his pocket so that time, he was "punished" by having to use an old phone we had until time came to replace his phone.

Anyway, last summer, at the rock concert, he "lost" his phone. He usually carries it in his pocket and he was wearing those nylon basketball trainers and his story was he thought that when he sit down, it slid out of his pocket. At least, that's what he thought.

He called to tell me this the next morning after spending the night with his pal. I said, well, we do have an old phone you will have to use until we can get you another one. He said aren't you going to yell at me? I said, no, I know you didn't mean to lose it. He said he thought I'd at least yell at him. Puzzled, I said, I don't usually yell at you about things, dear. He said, OK. See you later.

I phoned and found out that I could get his same phone on special offer for very little money so went ahead and ordered it.

When he got home and I told him, he was furious! I was puzzled! I told him, look: You do not know for sure if you lost the phone or if it was stolen. Right? So let's assume that someone could have POSSIBLY stolen it from you and since I was able to get you the same phone for next to nothing, no foul, no harm. OK?

He still couldn't understand why I wasn't mad. His older half-sister tells him all the time that he's "spoiled". That's because she had a horrible mother. I think she's jealous. I told him to STOP listening to her, that he isn't spoiled, that he is very responsible, and that spoiled children don't appreciate things they get. She is living in the wrong generation and should have been a hippie where her feelings of guilt for everything she has would have been appropriate.

[Sabrina]

Originally Posted by Sabrina

My beautiful husband just came home with a brand new seat and gloves for me. I haven't any words to express how I feel! He said he hated to see me so sad!

Just bumping this bit of good news to the next page.

[perpetuallysad]

That's so wonderful!

[katheryn]

Originally Posted by Sabrina

Just bumping this bit of good news to the next page.

Originally Posted by Sabrina

My beautiful husband just came home with a brand new seat and gloves for me. I haven't any words to express how I feel! He said he hated to see me so sad!

i know your hubby has replaced your stolen items, but have you considered putting up a notice to see if somebody says something or makes others aware things can get taken from the gym
your hubby is very caring (((((((((((sabrina)))))))))))))))

[Sabrina]

Yes, I have considered that and will probably do it! Thanks Katheryn!