Last week, my house was broken into. It sucks, knowing that some stranger was in your house, took your items, and then left the house in a chaotic mess. At first, I was pissed off. Knowing that they took a couple things (2 pocket knives, a Kindle, a MacBook laptop, and a pistol) from us, really made me mad with what happened.
However, my girlfriend said she didn't care about what was taken, just that it had scared her son, making him feel uncomfortable in his own home. That's what she wished she could get back, his sense of security. She then went on to state that all of the material objects she owns, she could do without, she doesn't care if any of it is taken, even if the house burns down, just as long as her kid is okay.
This made me really think. I was mad about the stuff being taken, but I didn't think it was because of the material objects; it was more of because the damage it was doing to the individuals that the items belonged to.
Once I realized it was more of what effect that this was happening to my girlfriend and her son by way of their things being taken, I focused more on their lose of security in the home, just as my girlfriend was saying of how her son didn't feel safe in his own home.
What irks me is that, thanks to the neighborhood kid, we found out that the people who broke in… were 4 teenagers, one actually has class with our son. I mean, seriously? How could this get any worse for him? So now he's worried that the kids know it was his house they broke into and that they are going to beat him up or something, they did steal a gun, which makes this so much worse, so he doesn't want to be the first one home after the house being empty all day. I don't blame him, I don't like it either, but you get used to it. Well, my girlfriend and I sorted out a way for one of us to be there before or at the same time he gets off of school so that he doesn't have to worry about it. There's only two more weeks of school, so this arrangement will work until hopefully that fear fades away over summer vacation.
This definitely made me re-think how many material objects that I possess. I love that I basally have nothing at my house with my girlfriend, I just wish a couple of personal mementos were there that I have, but that will happen in it's time. It's just an awesome feeling knowing that it's just you in the house, with furniture and people that you love, that not things that you love. Now, we have an awesome big screen television in the living room, that is nice for when we watch Netflix, but if that's stolen, we'd just replace it or use a different one, no big deal. That's my favorite part, not caring about the material items that I do own. haha! That doesn't mean that I treat the things I do have, poorly, I appreciate them and use them for their purpose, and make sure they will survive to see another day, but why worry if it's going to be taken or break. :)
