Lost and Found

Something extraordinary happened today. Two years ago when my mom was visiting LA she gave me an antique bracelet that unfortunately I lost 3 days after. I felt I might have dropped it in the gym, and when I went back to look for it, the staff there told me nobody turned it in. I was a little upset with myself, and mom was disappointed too.

Last Friday I lost my clip-on shades. I looked everywhere in the apartment and couldn't find them. I was so annoyed. Because my glasses came with these exact magnetic clip-on shades that would only work with each other, they were kind of irreplaceable. Finally I called the gym yesterday and asked one of the staff to check for me. After some digging around she found the shades. I was relieved. This morning I went to the gym and got them back. I felt great. I was ecstatic. I didn't want to risk losing the shades again, so I walked back to my car and left them inside.

There wasn't a lot of people in the gym today. I was running and feeling cool. Suddenly a thought popped in my head - I should ask the staff about my antique bracelet! I didn't know why I felt that was a good idea. It just dropped in my head and made sense to me. I found the shades... that was unbelievable. I really thought I lost them. Now they came back to me, so why not ask the staff about the bracelet that I thought I had lost too? Yes I knew it had been 2 years! It couldn't hurt, right?! For some reason, I felt a force encouraging me to go up to the front desk again.

When I walked up and talked to the staff this time, I didn't even know how to fully describe the bracelet. This happened so long ago and I only had it for a few days. I remember the design was simple and had black and white beads, which was exactly what I told the girl behind the counter. She went digging through that big box full of clothes, keys, accessories, all kinds of personal stuff again. She looked up and asked me again what it looked like and I told her the same, "a bracelet with just black and white beads." Honestly I felt a little foolish. I wasn't describing it that well and I felt it could not possibly be found after all this time, but I had to ask her today.

And... SHE FOUND IT! I was shocked. When I first looked at it, I didn't think it was the one. I was picturing something different. I took it and wore it on my wrist. The more I looked at it the more I felt it was the bracelet I lost. The design that I was thinking about was another one mom had, which she showed me and explained in details. I replaced the one I lost with hers in my mind. Walking away I was both happy and bewildered. It was very hard for me to believe that after 2 years I found the bracelet where I lost it. Upon close inspection, I saw some wear and tear. The thread was loose and one of the beads was broken. I figured there was someone who took it after I dropped it, wore it, and lost it just like I did in the gym... And someone else found it and turned it in!

I kept looking at it in the gym and on the way home. After I went to help PK move his fridge, I drove to one of the antique accessory designers I knew and had the bracelet re-threaded and repaired. She was just as surprised and happy after I told her how I was reunited with it. Later tonight I called mom and told her too. She couldn't believe it either. And yes, I asked her about the bracelet's design and she described it exactly. I am wearing it now. I'm so happy.