Lost and Found

 

We have a huge lost and found table at school.

Each student walks by it every day,

But very few of them ever claim anything that they’ve lost—

Because most of the time they don’t realize that anything is gone.

Kids are funny:

Out of sight, out of mind.

 

It struck me yesterday that this is how it is with us sometimes, too:

Out of sight, out of mind.

 

I remember one time many years ago when I made the decision to ask forgiveness from a friend that I’d spoken ill of and harbored negative feelings against.

The thing is:

She didn’t know that I was harboring negative feelings

Because she didn’t know that I knew that she had negative feelings toward me.

She had spoken mean words about me,

The words got back to me,

I had responded in kind—

And this had happened repetitively.

Out of sight, out of mind.

 

As I began to feel my anger, bitterness, and resentment grow,

And as I began to understand that it was hurting only me,

I mustered my courage to ask forgiveness.

When I did, my friend was stunned—

Speechless even—

But when she found her words,

She accepted the apology

That she didn’t even know she needed.

Out of sight, out of mind.

 

Our words and actions don’t just affect us,

They affect those around us, too,

And sometimes we have no idea how much.

Sometimes, our words and actions cause us to lose things.

And sometimes, we don’t know we need to be found.

 

May we be a people

Willing to pick up

What’s lost

So we can be found.

 

Amen.