Robber = Bad, Me = Dumb, Possessions = Not that important

This morning I made a sad, unfortunate, disturbing, frustrating discovery as I was getting in the car to go to work. Sometime over the weekend my car was burglarized while it was parked in front of my house. I hadn't driven my car all weekend, and since it was hot I had left a couple windows rolled down a few inches and I guess that was too much of a temptation for someone.

At first I didn't think it was that bad, as upon entry I found my front seat covered in various papers, CD cases and pennies. My passenger side door was unlocked — I really don't remember if I had left it like that or not, or if they got their arm in the window and unlocked it that way.

Anyway, the real disappointment came when I got to work and realized that they had gotten into my trunk and had stolen one of my camera bags that included one of my pro digital bodies and about four lenses. I was dumbstruck. I was amazed. I was sad.

I guess in many ways its my fault to some extent, as I did leave the windows down a bit, and I learned from the police when I called to make a statement that Ilwaco has been hit pretty hard in the last few months by vehicle burglars. That coupled with the fact that for literally YEARS I have kept my heavier equipment in the trunk — my big lighting bag, long lens bag, small lighting bag and spare camera bag that I kept the lenses that I don't normally carry with me. And in this case I had left that other body in the trunk as well. Needless to say, they will now reside indoors, though it will be inconvenient to not have it with me.

The cops say it is very unlikely that I will get the stuff back, as it is common for the burglar to use the stolen goods as direct trade for drugs, bypassing the pawn shops or the like. If anything, I was at least relieved that all the stuff was gear I have had for several years and was well used. And in actuality, the gear they didn't take was worth way more. The monetary value is not a great deal in terms of replacement value, but it was valuable to me, as it was stuff that I have used to do my job for quite awhile.

But at the same time, it gives me pause to really examine the concept of possessions. I don't know if I'm just feeling particularly Zen right now or what, but I'm glad that the extent of this bad Karma extended to these replaceable things, rather than something irreplaceable, like family.

Namaste'

-DKM