How Losing Everything Reminded Me Who Really Matters

About a month ago, I had an experience I will never forget. I was in a ready-to-wear clothing store, happily looking through the racks, when suddenly I noticed my white purse was gone. Panic immediately hit me. I went straight to the cashier and asked them to check the CCTV from five minutes before. To my shock, the footage showed a woman in her 30s taking my purse while I was distracted by the clothes.

Inside my purse were all my essentials: my phone with my mobile SIM, two ATM cards, a credit card, a pawn ticket for my necklace, and all my money. At that very moment, I realized I had truly lost everything.

I left the store in shock, but as I tried to go home, I realized she also took all my money in that white purse. Something unexpected happened. A kind woman approached me and handed me a 100-peso bill. I hesitated to accept it, but she insisted. Later, in the cab, the driver noticed my teary eyes and asked what had happened. When he understood, he insisted that I should not pay the fare. Those small acts of kindness gave me a little hope in that sad moment.

I went to the police to file a report, but deep down, I knew it was almost impossible to recover anything. The saddest part? I had forgotten my Apple ID and password, so my phone was untraceable. I was surprised when one of the pastors (female) in our church went there and tried to calm me down. She even helped me to went to the banks in a rush to lock my accounts. She was a big help.

Days turned into weeks. I lost track of my account transactions, had to ask my banks to lock my cards, and many online accounts went untouched.

Then, one day, I decided to ask my colleague and friend, Sir Jemuel, if I could use his credit card to buy a new phone. I was worried about my online payables, but he didn’t hesitate. He happily offered his card. Together with another friend and colleague, Ma’am Maricel, we traveled about an hour to the nearest Power Mac store. I finally got my new phone, and the relief and happiness I felt were indescribable.

Afterwards, we treated ourselves to some fast food and ice cream—a fun way to end a stressful day. I reached home around 10 PM, thrilled with my new pink iPhone and feeling grateful for true friends.

Even though losing my purse was one of the most stressful days I’ve had, the kindness of strangers and the support of my friends made me feel safe and cared for. It reminded me that in life, it’s not the things we lose that matter most, but the people who stand by us when we need them.