Safe

Ordinary riches can be stolen; real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you. ~Oscar Wilde

Four days ago, before our house was broken into, if you'd asked me if I felt safe here, my answer would have been an unequivocal yes. Today, with subtle reminders of the burglary - a doorjamb worse for the wear, the absence of some electronics - if you ask me if I feel safe here, my answer is still yes. I feel like I should feel different, less safe, more insecure, but the truth is, I feel fine, and I think my roommates would say the same. It is telling that we can make jokes about our stolen things, not because we need to mask our sadness, but because we are already operating in a state of normalcy.

I feel slightly disgusted that strangers have touched my things, and I do feel like my privacy has been invaded, but I go along just the same with my day. I can't be bothered to consume myself with worry about who could be in my house at any given time while I'm at school; I can't undo what has happened, and I can't quit my job to stay home all the time to prevent it from happening again. I shouldn't live in a state of fear, and I don't. I am pissed off at the perpetrators, but I'm choosing to look at it like this: They must need money more than I do if they are willing to break into a house to steal it. So go ahead and hawk what you took from us, and buy what you need with our cash, knowing that you didn't earn it. In turn, I will continue to arm my students with what they need to earn honest livings and become more than someone who burglarizes others. 

What has come out of this unfortunate incident for me is truly an affirmation of faith in humanity. An alert neighbor was able to give the police a description of the burglars and their vehicle. A friend of ours who works with Jill regaled us with hilarious texts after hearing about the burglary. The other corps members at my school, unbeknownst to me, pooled money and got us Visa gift cards to help us get things in order. The support we have gotten is touching and, though not wholly unexpected, still pleasantly surprises us. Friendship, compassion, and love are alive and well here in Memphis. I believe it and feel it with my whole heart.