gear stolen...maybe it will help someone???

[secondechomatt]

Well, my plans to head out to beautiful northern Michigan with the dog for the weekend were cut short when I headed out to the jeep after work to see the broken back window.

*disclaimer: I'm not looking for pity, just needed to share*

the back story is that after a long time spent pursuing other endeavors, I came back to my outdoor roots last year. I got back into backpacking, which lead me to here after catching the buzz about hammocks. I know I don't post much, but I read a ton! I ended up purchasing a hennessey explorer deluxe and used my old sleeping bag and pad. Things were great! The dog and I had many adventures last summer/fall. As we are having BEYOND unseasonably warm weather, I got clearance from the Mrs. to head out for a couple days.

I grabbed the gear and headed to work. I pastor a small church just north of Detroit. It's a great place! On Fridays we run a warming center that lets folks that need it get a hot lunch, clean clothes and a hot shower. Typically, we will see anywhere between 75 and 100 homeless folks come in on Friday.

Anyway, after getting everything together, the dog and I headed out to the jeep and found that someone had decided they needed my gear more than I do! Just broke out the back window and grabbed my pack. I HOPE it was one of the homeless guys that I have been getting to know. It has settled me a little more knowing that tonight, if they can figure it out, someone will be warm, dry, well fed and sleeping like a baby.

So, now begins the rebuilding phase! I hope to be back in business before the summer season, to get back into the piney woods! Rant over, thanks for reading.

Anyone else have something like this happen to them?

[Latitude42]

This world needs people like you (it REALLY does).... that being said, I'm not one of them!!!
You go way out of your way to help people while they are down (Good for you!!!) and while you are doing that someone decides that since you are such a giving guy, you surely won't mind if I take some more!!! (sound familiar ??)
This is something we see all too often..., feed Somalia & they do everything they can to kill us, send doctors to Haiti & they need armed guards to keep them alive, send aid workers to the Congo and they get raped and slaughtered by the scores... feed and bathe the homeless in the big cities and you risk (at the very least ) your possessions.

I'm glad you can wish that they are "warm, dry and sleep like a baby" (I am really proud of you for you to be able to do that), but in todays world, in the real world,,, your stuff probably got traded for a couple rocks of crack.

case in point...

I was on a Greyhound going cross country, a person boarded in Chicago,... seems that person wanted to get to San Jose & said they only had enough $$$ to get to Las Vegas... at LV the driver was trying to remove that person from the bus (we had a 45 min. break) the person begged EVERYONE to try to get the fair to San Jose... I gave in, I had $50.00 on me (that was all) for food, etc.. I gave him that...

he took the money, acted like he was going to get a ticket, then went over to the restaurant & had a good meal, bought some pot and smoked it in the terminal bathroom and then boarded the bus with a ticket he had bought in Chicago.. (the bus driver clued me in on all this)... I was broke and hungry, he was high and full....

happens all too often

I just can't get myself to see it your way...glad you can though...

Happy hangin...

[SilvrSurfr]

Nice attitude. No reason to get angry about a simple act of theft - these are hard economic times.

Where I work, it is grounds for termination to leave your laptop in plain view in the car, locked or not. It must go in the trunk. There is just too much temptation for people when they can see a bag or pack in your car (or jeep) just sitting there screaming "take me!"

I have also spent a lot of time helping the homeless and have been ripped off by the homeless. There is nothing more devastating in life than being homeless, in my opinion. Therefore, I don't hold it against them. If I was a have not, I'd be looking directly at the "haves" to keep me alive.

One punk climbed the walls to my 3rd floor apartment to break in and rip me off. Therefore, I now avoid giving out details of my life, like my last name, where I live, what I do for a living, etc., to the homeless or economically disadvantaged. I've learned that they will bite the hand that feeds.

But you'll never catch me donating money to the United Way or other charities with high overhead. My charity is always direct - the money goes from my hand to the person who needs it - no middle man.

I grew up poor, and there were so many people that donated so much to my family - clothes, food, haircuts, trips to summer camp, even educational expenses.

It is good karma to help others, as you are doing. Hopefully, that pack will help the person who "found" it, and you will have waves of good karma coming your way for helping others either directly (volunteering), or indirectly (like getting your pack stolen).

I truly believe that what goes around comes around - and you have a lot of good stuff coming your way.

[rbinhood]

As Mark Twain said, " The difference between a man and a dog is a dog won't bite the hand that feeds it."

You have a great attitude about losing your stuff. I'd want to hunt the person who took it down and cut their hands off.

[biggcarl]

Regardless of anyone's economic status, there is never a time you are entitled to anything someone earned, period.

Lack of basic respect of others and feelings of entitlement is huge problem that seems to be getting even worse.

If someone needs a few dollars, ask. If the answer is no there is no need to harass the person. That person earned their money, it's their choice how to spend it.

As far as karma goes. I hope the thief cuts his/her hand on something in that bag. It gets nice and infected and the hand gets cut off. That's karma!

[Bannerstone]

secondechomatt,

Sorry to hear you lost out on an outing and all your gear but I'm mostly glad that your heart is at peace with it. Possibly there will be something important that you needed to be at home for this weekend.

David

[deerfu]

Great attitude Matt! I know it's easy to say from my armchair position but try not to sweat the loss. It may not be much but if you're interested I have a brand new, never slept in, Pawley's Island hammock that I can "pay it forward" to you if you're interested. It's not a Hennesy but almost identical to an Eno DN. I have another that I've spent many nights in hangin' at home since last summer. They are very roomy and comfy to me. We have a lot of homeless folks around the Atlanta area now and it's just by the grace of God that I'm not one myself ( I make my living in construction). It's your's if you need it, just pm me- Robby

[exup]

I'm very sorry for all that's been lost. Your possitive attitude through the situation is amazing. I know you don't want pitty, or a helping hand, but why don't you list all that was taken. Even if it can't be replaced by our community there's a good possibility that someone will have some stuff to atleast get you hangin, cooking, and hiking again til you can buy the stuff you lost.

[hommes90]

Thanks for keeping the faith, Matt.

[AaronAlso]

I've been on both sides of this coin... Chances are that whomever took the bag was probably someone you know. There is no garuntee that is the case. However, the majority of crime is not random. The victims usually have some connection to the perpatrator(s).

I grew up in a very strict family attending a catholic school. It was not uncommon for the mistakes of the few to affect everyone. Your certainly more honorable than I, for I would cancel our hot meals until my gear was returned or atleast information leading to an arrest had come forward. Yes, I'm aware that may mean 75-100 people no long have a place for a hot meal on the weekends. That's not my problem though, I didn't put them into that situation and I don't feel obligated to drag them out of it. I won't waste my time trying to help someone who won't help themselves.

It sounds harsh, and undoubtedly it is, but that's how the world works. Some idiot drinks himself blind, goes for a drive, kills an entire family; now I can't risk driving across town after I've had 1 beer.

This isn't advice! It's just my thoughts on how I would react to such events. It's very righteous of you to wish them well and hope they sleep warm. Though, the reality is they probably tried to sell your stuff for drugs. Failing that, it went into the nearest dumpster while they went off in search of a better score. On that note it may be worth having a look around the area within 100yds or so, it's possible they just ditched your stuff & kept the bag for the rest of the booty they planned to collect that night.