Cardinal Sins

This month I almost committed a grave sin. I almost lost a library book.

I had been reading it in between classes, and tucked it under my desk when the lecture began, only to leave without it at the end of class. I realized it was gone the day after when I was shuffling my books around for the new school day.

Now, I have never lost a library book, which is a very impressive feat for me considering how many things in life that I -have- lost. It was a point of pride that even though I've had a library card for almost as long as I could read, which is almost as long as I've been alive, I've always returned the books I took out, even though sometimes I've returned it late, or not -wanted- to return it. (And there were a few books I really wanted to put on my shelf and leave there.)

So when I couldn't find Na Kua'aina anywhere after three days I dragged myself over to the library confessed my sins, and prepared to pay a hefty fine.

The man behind the counter brought up my account, looked at it, and said, "That book isn't on your record."

"What?"

"I don't see it on your record."

He printed out said record and handed it over. Na Kua'aina was indeed missing. Did someone return it for me? I crossed my fingers and went into the stacks to find out. Sure enough, the book had been returned by some good samaratin the day before, and I checked it out a second time.

As I was walking home with it I mused at the many times I've been lucky enough to have lost something in Hawaii and have it returned. I've lost my wallet twice, once while riding the bus, and left my backpack in a classroom over the weekend. Every time my items were returned to me without a thing missing. Considering how often things are stolen on this campus, from bikes to hand bags, I wondered why I had managed to completely misplace things and still have them returned to me safe and sound.

Maybe it was karma coming back to me for being a good person and returning things that I found myself. Or maybe it was just because I was a good person in general. I mulled that thought over for a second, remembered that pride was a sin, and promptly disposed of it.

I think I'm just lucky.