My car was loaded down with clothing and two trucks full of
my furniture were following not far behind.
I was making another move - another big change for me. This time from the corn fields of Illinois to Indianapolis , Indiana
I pulled into my new apartment complex and headed to the
leasing office to pick up my key. A friendly
face was there to greet me at the door.
“Now Holly I need to caution you that there have been recent reports of
break-ins,” Tarrie said. She explained
that the stories were not consistent and the authorities believed connections
were involved. Due to company policy,
Tarrie was not able to give me much more information than that. She assured me police lived on the property
and would frequently patrol the area.
Tarrie also reminded me that my apartment was upstairs which was better
for safety.
I thanked Tarrie for her honesty as worry began to settle in
my mind. When my friends arrived to help
me with the boxes and furniture, I told them of the security scare. They reminded me that I should always use
caution and be aware of my surroundings. I agreed. After all I have always been cautious and
queen of locking doors. I just didn’t
want to feel nervous about the move when I had yet to step one foot into my new
apartment.
I tried not to worry as we began the dreadful task of
unloading box after box. All the while
though, the break-in story stayed fresh in my mind. I did manage to get a good night’s sleep but
awoke thinking about the break-ins.
There was lots of shopping to be done and I knew my worry would have to
wait. A good friend suggested traveling about one
mile to 38th Street for good food and shopping. I had a list and I
was ready. I was not prepared for the miracle I would receive.
Every place I went people were so kind, so
happy. Starting with Red Lobster where
the greeter looked sincerely happy to see me.
The waiter was attentive, fast and friendly. Another waitress, with a big grin, gave me
great directions to Pier One. The Staple’s
salesman was funny and kept saying witty things to get me to buy. The woman at the check-out counter at Target
thanked me for being patient while she learned how to work her register. And the salesman at Office Depot – let’s just
say I could not make a decision on office furniture and he did not seem to
mind. His patience was amazing. Even the random man that approached me for
money said please and thank you.
After a day of shopping, I was no longer worried about my
safety. I was reminded that good people live
everywhere. I felt good about the change
I was making. I looked forward to the
positive relationships I would build. I
became excited at the thought of making new friends. My confidence in people was restored. Worry no longer consumed my thoughts. I was smiling inside and out.
On what could have been a stressful day of shopping and
adjusting to change, I received my miracle just a mile down the road on 38th
Street.