My Mitzvah, (Good Deed) Purse returned... 'James "Kimo" Rosen'

James “Kimo” Rosen is a retired professional photographer living in Kapa'a
 with his best friend Obama Da Dog, Rosen also blogs as a hobby...

My Mitzvah!  (Good Deed) Purse returned

I was on my way into Walmart last Monday and as I passed an empty shopping cart I saw what looked like a woman's purse.
Sure enough not only was it a purse but had  a wallet with credit cards, drivers license Social security card, cell phone and cash. I waited for about 10 minutes  in case the person came back, I even asked all the patrons that passed me if they were the Laura Taylor  the woman I  was looking for? No luck.

What should I do, I had the woman's name and address but she lived on the other side of the island , I thought maybe I should turn it into Walmart? I decided I would feel safer turning it over the the Kaua'i police department, this way a police report is filed and would not get  lost or even stolen form a lost and found bin.

I called 911 on the woman's cell phone, at first they did  not think  it was an emergency. I explained further, I am on foot in a parking lot on someone else's cell phone and feel this is a huge emergency. Imagine yourself without your cell , wallet, credit cards and cash on hand. The 911 operator took my persuasion and  agreed.

An officer was dispatched, we filed a report, I signed the report and felt like I had done my Mitzvah,  my good deed for the day.
It felt good to know that soon this person would have their essentials back. 

I wasn't going to tell anyone about this Mitzvah (good deed) since a Mitzvah is something one should humble themselves in, however after reading the June 10, 2014 Letter to the editor section of the Garden Island news, I felt compelled to share Laura Taylor's letter and story.

Pay it forward!

Letter enclosed below;

Many thanks for returned purse
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-june/article_7abcb810-f066-11e3-af1e-001a4bcf887a.html

I recently left my purse in a shopping cart as I hurried into my car to make an appointment. I was upset when I discovered it missing but I know there are many trustworthy and honest people on Kauai and I hoped for the best. However, when I checked with the store my purse had not been turned in. My hope was fading until I called the police department and they reported my purse was turned into them! Officer Joe Snyder was most accommodating by personally bringing my purse to me. I appreciate his concern for this worried Kauai resident.

There is more to this story. I want to offer a reward to the person who found my purse and turned it in all intact. That person was given my name and phone number and asked to call me for the reward. I have received no call yet. I am a believer in paying it forward and so is my son, who gave me $50 for Mother’s Day. He said if you don’t think of anything you want then give it to someone else. The $50 was in my purse in a special compartment waiting for the right time to give it out. This is definitely the right person to give it to. 

I want to pay it forward. I know about not expecting a reward for doing the right thing. I work with our Kauai Elementary School children through the Aloha Peace Project. This is a character education program K-5 devoted to providing a culture of respectful and compassionate people. Part of this can be doing a kind deed in secret and without compensation. But if my son and I can start a chain of others paying it forward with this $50, it would give us much pleasure. I’m asking the person who found my purse to call me so we might begin the chain for families this summer to play the “game” of paying it forward to do kind deeds for others.

 Laura Taylor
Princeville

Laura Taylor with her lost purse that was returned  intact
with everything...

Epilogue;

With reluctance I accepted the $50.00 reward from Laura Taylor with the promise to pay it forward and give the money or part of the money to someone deserving.  Laura is also a volunteer and works  with the Aloha Peace project going into  our schools and teaching the meaning of peace and respect and not to bully those that are different.

I am honored to have met Laura and am so pleased she  got her purse back. A special Mahalo Nui to  officer Snyder who delivered her purse to the North shore of the island totally intact.

I already payed the $50.00 forward to my cousin Janet who is having a cousins reunion that I cannot. attend. They even offered me  miles for the Honolulu- New Jersey leg of the trip, long story, however it just didn't work out.  

Since I will not be there in person, I sent the $50.00 cash in an envelope so I can contribute to the food and to the live streaming of the event in hopes I can watch it on my computer...

 I hope the cash in envelope  is not stolen, however if it is stolen there is a note in the envelope that reads,"If this is stolen you need this more than my cousin, pay it forward."

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