It was a routine afternoon, which did not look significant at the moment. We were running between errands, keeping in mind the little things like groceries and messages that we still had to respond to. At the time of payment of a bill and a notification on a phone, the wallet just moved out of a pocket and remained behind. It was not until much later that we came to realize it. You know that sinking sensation in the stomach, we felt it. Thoughts raced. Cards, cash, ID—all that was there. It was as though the type of error that would spoil a whole week. What came afterward, however, became something unknown and privately strong.
The moment we realized it was lost
The first response was bewilderment. Maybe it was in another bag. Maybe it fell in the car. Reality began to sink in after a second and third look. The wallet had gone, and so had our composure.
The panic that followed
It is weird that the mind can switch to the worst-case situation very fast. We fantasized about canceled cards, queues at banks, and paperwork. It could not have been a lot, yet it seemed like everything at that moment.
Retracing every step
We walked away along the same line, peering about. Each street corner seemed suspicious. All benches appeared to be possible places. With every step, hope and doubt were alternating.
Expecting the worst
Quietly, it was assumed that when something valuable is deposited in public, it is very unlikely that it will remain there long. Such a belief may not necessarily be just, and that is what most people go around with.
A stranger’s simple kindness
The individual replied that they had found it on a counter, and they had been searching to get contact details inside. They could have ignored it. They could have walked away. Instead, they made the effort.
Everything still inside
Nothing seemed to be missing when the wallet was returned. Cash, cards, ID, all untouched. It could be a mere chance, but it also seemed intentional.
A short conversation that meant a lot
Our conversation was short and natural. No big speeches. No dramatic moment. It was but a reminder that there are still good folks going round the world unnoticed.
The refusal of any reward
A suggestion to make something in reciprocation was politely rejected. It was an answer of the order of doing what anyone must do. This one did, but perhaps not everyone would.
The shift in perspective
Negative news and daily grievances had been readily available to concentrate on, at least temporarily. This minor experience appeared to kick that kind of mental state. It implied that goodness, perhaps, was more prevalent than thought.
Restoring faith, one moment at a time
Perhaps people do not require big things in order to be optimistic. It may even just be a wallet returned by an honest stranger. It does not answer all the questions, but it might dilute the way we perceive the world.
