Starting 2009 In Sadness, But Looking For Hope

Last night I went with a friend to downtown Miami Beach, hoping to see some fireworks and a countdown for the new year. I ended up getting much more than that.

It was my first time doing this, and I was not quite sure what to expect. We arrived around 8pm and walked through the busy crowd, looking at odds and ends from the variety of vendors on display.

We finally got a seat by the dock near the ocean, and we spent time talking and the hours flew by. Countdown approached. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. “Happy New Year!” screamed thousands of people gathered around the Intercontinental Hotel.

Fireworks exploded into a glorious bang, and I videotaped it all with my cell phone.

After the fireworks, we departed and managed to squeeze our way through the crowd.

I still had my cell phone in my hand, wanting to look at the videos I had made. I did not get much of a chance to do so, as my phone was quickly snatched right from my hand and I screamed “My phone!” I turned around and noticed a few people right beside me. “Where is my phone?” , I asked. “We ain’t have phone,” sneered the group.

Looking into their eyes all I could see was a cold and dark void. My friend and I contacted the police on-site, just a few seconds away from where the incident took place. I told them my cell phone was stolen, and gave a description on who it was that had stolen my phone. We ran to find them…

I got lost in the crowd somewhere.. my head was just spinning and my emotions were out of control. I just felt lost, inside and out. After a few minutes, I found my friend and the police cop, and they wondered where I went. The cop said she found the group, and asked them to remove anything from their pockets, but no cell phone was found.

It’s just a moment where things can change… just in a instant… when you least expect it…

I do have MetroGuard on my cell phone, a warranty that I have been paying $4 a month over the last 2 years just in case something like this may happen. My $360 Motorola KRZR K1m is gone, and with it so many pictures and videos that encapsulated the last 2 years of my life.

I feel sad that my phone is gone, but I feel even worse for the person that stole it. How desperate that person must be to do such a horrible act in stealing another person’s belongings right in front of their eyes. Why people in this world can’t just respect other people and their property is something that will always be an issue in society.

Sure, one can isolate themselves indoors all day (much like I had wanted to instead of watching the fireworks) but everything happens for a reason and has a purpose behind it, even if we can’t see it. My phone being stolen certainly ruined a nice evening, but on the other hand, it’s experiences like these that we all face, and last night was my turn to have a bit of reality shoved in my face.

2009 might be a great year. I know it started off pretty bad, but it’s only the beginning. People may try to interfere with my life in a negative way, but it really is up to me on how I react to it. Sure, this dilemma is eating me up inside, but on the other hand, I can get another one anyways. It’s replaceable…