Traveling to Santa Barbara almost every week is arduous.
The Christmas Gift
Using the Fitbit app for over ten years has always kept me conscious of how many steps I take in a day. I loved competing with other friends on Fitbit, but when Google purchased it, everything changed. We could no longer compete. Believe it or not, I lost the incentive to exercise.
With Christmas around the corner, guess what I received from Mike? My apple watch has all these new features; when I accidentally tripped and fell, it wanted to know if an ambulance was needed. I started walking again because this smart watch recorded all my steps.
The First Mistake
The generic band on my new watch was navy blue; it did not have style. The introverted watchband did not match my personality. So when Mike asked what I wanted for Mother’s Day, I showed him a brochure from Brighton. There it was, a beautifully designed, two-toned, gold and silver band. It was as if it had been made especially for me.
The new band was easily adjustable because it had snap-on parts. This posed a problem because it was difficult to remove and sometimes several of the snap-on parts would fall to the floor. Losing trust for an inanimate object may sound strange, but I was afraid that the watch would fall off. This band had a mind of its own; sometimes it would take me more than five minutes before I could hear the click. I told Mike that I was going to return the watchband.
The Football Game
Lucas had a football game the day before we left for Santa Barbara. That morning I put on the watch, but it refused to click shut. In frustration, I wore it anyway. Our daughter Sonja asked me to pick up Jacob and take him to the game. I did not remember if I rode back with Sonja or if I came home with Mike.
The Missing Watch
When traveling to Santa Barbara we get up at 4:30 a.m. to miss the Los Angeles traffic. Many times this early-bird method works, but sometimes we get caught in the tangled freeways of L.A. In the usual fashion, I was running around making sure that everything on my list was packed.
The charger that I use for my Apple watch and phone always makes the trip. But this particular morning I could not find my watch. Going to bed after eleven does not help in these matters because sometimes I’m so tired that I forget to charge my watch. When I discovered that the watch was missing, the only thing that I could think was that I misplaced it around the home. We left, but in the back of my head I thought that it was probably under the bed or another obscure place in the house. “I’ll find it when I get back.”
The Infamous Ping
The watch was nowhere to be found. Describing this story to our Pilates instructor Dori, she quickly shared, “You know you can track your watch on your phone.” This was encouraging news, so when I got home, sure enough, I found the elusive watch! One problem, it last pinged at Sonja’s neighbors’ house. I quickly called Sonja and told her that her neighbors had my watch and that I was going to get it. “Mom, I’m at work, please don’t do that, have Russ go over after work.” No, I was going to get to the bottom of this on my own.
Detective Lynda
Without a second thought or praying, I went straight to the address. I had to knock on the door pretty hard before a woman and a cherub-faced young man opened the door. “Excuse me, but I lost my watch and it’s showing on my phone that it’s pinging here. The woman spoke broken English, and every time she spoke her son would tell her to be quiet.
At one point I spoke to her in Spanish and asked her son to let her talk. This went on for a few minutes. I believed the kind lady but her son’s behavior was odd. Why did he keep telling her to be quiet? After several minutes I told them that I was going to get the police involved.
Orange Police Department
I know the number by heart, not because I always call them, it’s an easy number. The Police instructed me to wait at my daughter’s house. It was a surprise to see two police cars for such a trivial matter. I showed the officers the proof that the watch last pinged in the vacinity of their home. One officer said that it could be in the radius of 20 feet.
At this point, I felt pretty bad that my novice detective investigating did not know about this vast area of 20 feet. Maybe it was another neighbor. By now everyone was upset with me. Sonja said, “You know, mom, we live there. You should have let Russ take care of it!” “Grandma, I walk to school and see that kid, why did you do that?” Russ was too upset to say anything. Mike, on the other hand, told me not to worry because he would buy me a new watch because it helps me with walking and perhaps keeps me from falling.
In hindsight, calling the police was unnecessary.
The New Watch
This time I’m keeping the unattractive watchband. The Apple store set the new watch for me and all was well…until earlier this week.
Found
Russ rarely texts me, so when my phone notified me of the text, it was during Mass. I quickly opened it, but did not really look at it until later. Oh my gosh! There it was, my watch with the fancy watchband.
Thou Shall Not Judge
Oh no! Those poor people that I accused! I was not sure what to do. I consulted several of my inner circle for advised but they all said to leave it alone. But the deep conviction in my heart was telling me otherwise. After praying I received this answer. “You must remove all doubt from anyone in that household!” I had to apologize by telling them the truth.
Facing The Music
The following day I purchased a beautiful orchid plant and delivered it to the family I judged. The precious woman was so gracious as I atoned for my transgressions. Sometimes humble pie has a sweet after taste.
Matthew 7:1-2 New Catholic Bible
Do Not Judge. 1 “Do not judge, so that you in turn may not be judged. 2 For you will be judged in the same way that you judge others, and the measure that you use for others will be used to measure you.
My Prayer
Dear Lord, forgive me for being so quick to judge others. Thank You for always teaching us life-learning lessons. Lord, I love serving You! Amen.
