Hired help, Dolphin rings and a lesson in contentment
I wasn’t born a thief.
The first few years of my life I am almost positive I didn’t steal a single thing.
Until I turned 6.
My aunt Ella was working as a housekeeper and since it was summer vacation, I went with her.
She always gave me the same “Talk”- “Don’t touch anything!”
And I didn’t!
Until I DID.
I was washing my hands in the bathroom and I saw a silver ring sitting on the edge of the sink. The ring was in the shape of a dolphin, and had a diamond eye. (FANCY!)
I was already wearing a silver ring, but the one I was wearing had a PUPPY on it, NOT a DOLPHIN. (I didn’t even LIKE dolphins!)
I slid the stolen ring onto my finger and walked back out into the living room. Aunt Ella finished her work and we went home.
Later that evening, my aunt’s rotary phone rang. As soon as she answered I heard her voice change. Then I heard her begin to apologize profusely. I could only hear bits and pieces of what she was saying:
“Ma’am, I cleaned up the bathroom myself this afternoon…”
“Yes, ma’am. I don’t know what could’ve happened to it…”
“Yes, ma’am I will check my bags…”
As soon as I heard my aunt beginning to get upset, I started to cry.
“Hold on, Mrs. Smith”, my aunt Ella said as she turned to me with her hands on her hips.
“Girl, what on earth is wrong with you?”
I held my tiny hand out to reveal the ring, that spun loosely around my finger. I could have sworn the the dolphin held his little dolphin head in shame!
Aunt Ella turned back to the phone and told Mrs. Smith I would be bringing the ring back to her the next day along with a WRITTEN apology.
I had no reason to take that ring!
Yet I wanted it.
How many times does this happen where everything you need yet you crave that ONE shiny thing you are not supposed to have?
How do you handle it?
