The Best and Worst of Strangers

Yesterday was a crazy day that showed me the absolute best and worst out of strangers. I recieved in the mail by surprise a package from my dear online friend, Libby, (ok, not exactly a stranger, but I have never met her in real life, so it counts). Anyway, after seeing my blog about Sierra and the pictures of her poor little face, she sent me this feel better package complete with unrefined shea butter that is supposed to work miracles on scars and heal sores quicker than neosporin, some 100% pure vegan all natural lavender soap that is super gentle on wounds and smells so good even a ten year old can appreciate it, a hot and cold pack with chamomile and rice inside that is so soothing right out of the microwave, and a nifty wrist cuff just because it is pretty. Sierra is always so excited just to get something in the mail, but this was especially cool. The wrist cuff wouldn't fit over her cast, much to her dismay, so she has been wearing it above it. She has quite the decorated arm now, even the cat and dog "signed" it:

Sierra looks a lot better now, and is happy about all the kindness that has been shown to her from "strangers" I have made friends with here.

Later, though, I got to see, once again, the terrible things strangers can do to each other. For the second time in 6 months, my husbands debit card number was stolen. The first time, it was used online, on our wedding anniversary mind you, to join four different dating websites. We only got some of that money back, because when someone steals your credit card number, they don't care if it is a credit or debit card. When its a debit card, not only do they take the money right from your bank account, they can withdraw your account and leave you with hundreds of dollars in overdraft fees before you even know what has happened. Which is what happened this time when someone was able to use the new debit card number to charge hundreds of dollars in gas stations in Florida, mind you while I am here in Kentucky tending to my injured child, overdrawing our account and stealing all the money we had. Money for medical and dental bills for my daughter. Money for the mortgage payment and for Christmas presents. Money for my husband's birthday, which by the way was the day half the charges were made. I actually had to cancel his gift because of this. I felt so bad.

So, to anyone that thinks stealing credit card numbers (on the internet or however you do it) is a victimless crime, let me tell you- it isn't. I'm guessing so many of these numbers are actually debit cards, not credit, which means you are stealing money right out of people's accounts. Money from hardworking people that are trying hard to make ends meet, especially in this economy. If you have rationalized that it gets paid for by some bank or the place you steal from, let me tell you, it isn't. We have to fight, hard, to even see any of that money again. So shame on you! Didn't your mother ever tell you not to steal?

And to the perfect strangers that give and give out of the kindness of their hearts, expecting nothing in return except a new friend, your kindness goes a long way on a day when it would be easy to lose faith in humanity. Thank you, Libby, for letting me see not all people are bad, there are just some that do bad things. I can see from new friends like you that people are kind and want to make the world a gentler place.

Please visit Libby's shop on Etsy and show her the kindness she has shown me. She makes amazing super lathery vegan soaps: www.mayleesgarden.com