An Open Letter to the Pitiable Soul Who Broke Into My Car Over the Weekend -- and Found Little to Nothing of "Value" to Steal

Dear Sir or Madam,

I came outside early on Saturday morning to discover that overnight, you had let yourself into my vehicle, which I mistakenly left unlocked with the alarm off. I'd like thank you for trying the door instead of smashing the window.

Once inside my car, you dumped the contents of my glove compartment, center console, and ashtray all over my passenger side front seat and floor, leaving me quite a mess to clean up. I understand that you were probably in a rush, but the next time you care visit, please clean up after yourself. Oh, and also, be sure to CLOSE the door so as not to drain my battery!

I can only assume that you were looking for something of value — perhaps a Blackberry, an i-phone, a wallet, or a GPS. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I do not leave valuables in my car for strangers, such as yourself, to take from me. (I noticed, though, that you left the dollar or two in change sitting by the gear shift — is there a dollar amount that you would have taken?) As for the small $10 pocket knife that you did take — well, please consider that as a parting gift. (Never liked it anyway.)

As for the car itself — well, I suppose that a much-used and somewhat banged up 2002 Toyota Rav-4 probably wouldn't fetch much these days, so I understand why you didn't try to hotwire it and drive it away. I must say, however, that I was dumbfounded and quite sorry to see that you did not help yourself to the remarkable warehouse of treasures that were sitting in plain sight.

Allow me to explain.

You see, while driving my car back and forth to work, I regularly attend "Mobile University," and I listen to motivational and inspirational audio CDs for my own personal growth and development. Among my collection — which you carelessly tossed aside — are the following:

• Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
• Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude by Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone
• Change Your Mind, Change Your Life by Wayne Dyer
• The Power Of Intention by Wayne Dyer
• Spiritual Activation by Julia Butterfly Hill
• Power Networking by Brian Tracy
• The Way to Wealth in America by Brian Tracy
• The Millionaire Mindset by Lee Milteer
• The Dale Carnegie Leadership Mastery Course
• The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

Constantly feeding myself with this kind of information inspires me and keeps me in a positive frame of mind. I absorb new ideas and new information on a daily basis. Heck, I even have a CD to learn and practice my Spanish. So I imagine that, if you had taken the resources listed above — that is, if you had actually taken them, listened to them, and applied just a small percentage of the lessons contained within them — well, I imagine that your life could have been forever changed for the better. And I'm confident that if you had taken and used these items, you would have also RETURNED them to me with an apology and a note of thanks.

But you didn't take them.

Your loss.

Perhaps someday you'll have another opportunity to access a GOLD MINE like the one you overlooked on Friday night.

Thanks again for the reminder to lock my door and set my car alarm.

Warm regards,
Jason

Sensei Jason Gould
Emerald Necklace Martial Arts, Boston