I Must Have Done The Right Thing, Thank G-d

The other day at work I suddenly noticed that one of my earrings was missing.  I wear three.  Fourteen years ago my daughters decided to give me a "third hole" for my birthday present.  I like that asymmetrical look and sometime even wear three different earrings.

Back to the earring.  It wasn't just any earring.  It had been my maternal grandmother's; an aunt gave it to me after I had my ears pierced, midway through high school.  To this day I don't know she chose me as recipient.  I have lots of female cousins, and I'm not the oldest even.  I was given two pairs of earrings and they are very precious to me.  I barely remember my grandmother, since she died before my third birthday.

I had a strong feeling that it had fallen off at work and told the other staff members, even pasting a note to the cash register.

Actually, I wasn't upset.  I kept saying "kappora," and told people that I have no doubt that my grandmother is taking care of me and my family, which is more important than her earring.  It was a strange feeling, because I was sad at the thought of not having it.  I have been wearing that earring for almost half a century.  Yes, I'm old.

The following day when I got on the bus to go home from Jerusalem, I saw a cellphone on the seat.  I decided to give it to the driver.  He would bring it to the Egged "Lost and Found," which in Hebrew is called "Returning Lost Items."  There's a mitzvah, Torah law to make every effort to return a lost item.  The concept of "finders keepers, losers weepers" is not Jewish and even forbidden.

Yesterday when  I entered the store, I was greeted with:

"We have your earring."

Apparently a customer saw it on the floor and brought it to the desk.  It was all wrapped up and waiting for me.  I had kept that "third hole" empty for work, even though I have lots of earrings to wear.  It was waiting, apparently, for that one, my grandmother's. 

Baruch Hashem, Thank G-d

Shabbat Shalom uMevorach

May You Have a Peaceful and Blessed Shabbat