The Missing Journal

What you are looking at here friends is my travel journal. I bought this journal in 2015, in the small town of Oban, Scotland. It was in a grocery store. I realized I had forgotten my normal journal back in Birmingham and ran back into the store after buying my groceries to see what they had. It was plain, uninteresting looking, but it was the best they had. 

This journal has become the home of my travels. Every trip I have taken, major and small, has been recorded in this little purple book. Okay partly recorded. I have a tendency to start writing during my trip and then never finish recording the entire thing. Nevertheless, this journal has the records of some of my most precious and treasured memories. It means a lot to me. 

Then I lost it. I LOST IT. The end of April, I moved from Seattle to NY. I combed every inch of my apartment, made sure everything I had was coming back to NY to me. I was so sure this book was safely tucked away in one of my three suitcases. 

Then, during unpacking, it was no where to be found. I assured myself I had just removed it already and forgot. My trip to England came up. I needed to bring it. I had to write about the trip! It was no where to be found. 

I called my brother who had taken over my lease and at the time was living in my old apartment, and asked if he had come across it. Nope. I messaged my friend Hilary, who was the last person I had traveled with. Did I leave it in her car? Nope. Baffled and concerned, I went to the UK without it, and since then had given up all hope that I would ever see it's little face ever again. 

Then, on the day of our lord July 13 2017, at 1 A.M., I got a text. Through my bleary sleep deprived eyes, I saw a message from a former co-worker at the movie theater. It was a picture of my journal and the question "Is this yours?". I could not believe it. Where had he found it? How had he found it? 

It turns out I am a forgetful dingbat. I had brought the journal with me to work to write in it during my down time, and had left it in the box office. Through the stress of packing up and moving across the country, I had completely forgotten it was there. 

Since my departure, it had been floating around the theater for 3 months. It ended up in the staff room where, apparently, this particular co-worker picked it up and decided to ask if it was mine. Bless him. I don't know if Andrew understands how important this was to me, but I am so grateful. He Fedex-ed me (FEDEX. NOT UPSPS) my journal and it came back to me yesterday. Since then I have been carrying it around with me, making sure it doesn't disappear again. 

An unlikely tale of lost then found. A girl and her journal. A struggle in the dark......

So yea these are the random things that happen when you move. Luckily I got my lost item back. Not everyone does. The moral of the story, keep track of your stuff, and make sure you leave behind friends who are willing to make sure your lost item makes it way back to you. Thank you Andrew! I owe you one :)