Lesson Learnt

"...there is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft."
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

So maybe I'm taking this quote a little out of context (as will soon be revealed), but it's true nonetheless. Theft IS a sin - it's an undeniable fact. It's a horrible sin. That's even more undeniable. It's the one and only sin...Well, with a logic like that of Khaled Hosseini, echoed through the character of Baba...I must say I agree.

My first ever experience of true theft, was just yesterday (170107). Arriving home after a long day of lectures, harsh and tiring warm ups and rehearsals proper, I settled down on the floor of my room to pack my school bag. Yes. Even as a JC student, I have a 'pack bag' slot in my mental timetable. Anyway, I removed my wallet from my bag, planning to slot in extra ten bucks that I needed the next day to pay for something. Upon opening up the notes compartment, however, I realised that there were (ta da!) no notes there! For a moment I wondered if I'd become such a huge spendthrift to have spent all of my weekly allowance by Wednesday, but honestly, twenty bucks worth of food, drinks and lecture notes over three days? In school? It was then that I saw that the zip to the coin compartment was open. And my heart...just...sank. I knew for sure that I had had at least ninety five cents in there, because I planned to return that amount to an OG mate who had kindly helped me to purchase GP notes the day before. Evidently, the cash had been stolen. Quick as lightning, I emptied out my bag. Dirty uniform, check. Bible, check. 'The Memory Keeper's Daughter', check. Notebook, check. Pencil case, check. Camera, check. Umbrel - wait a second, CAMERA, CHECK?! Oh, and my watch and handphone that I'd left in my bag before entering the Pink Studio for rehearsal hadn't been taken either. Strange. To continue, wet wipes, check. Tissue paper, check. Ventolin inhaler, check. Lip balm, check.

But wait.

Oh crap.

Where was my iPod? My new iPod? My super brand new iPod nano I received from my parents for my so recent sixteenth birthday?

The bag was empty, and yup, indeed, the iPod was gone, never to be seen again, I'm sure. My losses in total was about sixteen bucks or so, and my less than a month old iPod nano.

Initially, I was quite calm. I then walked over to Dad and Mom's room, to tell them what had happened. And that's when the reality hit me. As I told Mom, I suddenly hugged her and started crying, probably freaking her out in the process. It wasn't so much losing the valuables per se; not so much losing all the wonderful songs (Disney, Grease, That Thing You Do, West Side Story!, etc.) that I'd saved into the little device; not so much wanting to kill myself for being complacent enough to think that leaving my valuables in my bag outside the studio was safe; rather, it was just that I felt so bad for losing something that my parents had spent their hard earned money on, plus lots of time choosing, so as to present me with a wonderful birthday present.

You know, in all my years of kindergarten, to primary school and even secondary school, I've never experienced theft. No one has ever stolen from me, neither, of course, have I ever stolen from anyone. But now in my first two weeks in a new school, it's happened. Honestly though? I'm not angry with whoever it was that rumaged through my school bag (the iPod had been strategically hidden with tissue and wet wipe packets, okay!) and stole the stuff. I do hope though, that he/she will learn that stealing IS a sin, and eventually, maybe, he/she will ask Him for forgiveness and turn over a new leaf.

I don't completely understand why people steal. Perhaps because of greed, or maybe due to monetary necessities, or it could be desperation. Whatever the reason for this particular case of theft, it's passed, and I don't plan to dwell on it any longer than I should. It certainly was a harsh lesson for me - one I've REALLY learnt from.