Lesson of the Lost Wallet in Bangkok

This morning in Bangkok, I was sitting in a lovely outdoor courtyard, speaking on the phone with my daughter in Singapore, and somehow I dropped my wallet.

About an hour later, after a nice lunch, I go up to the restaurant’s cash register area to pay and ….where’s my wallet!?!?

I couldn’t find it anywhere – pockets, under the chair, in any of my bags, nothing.

If you’ve ever lost a wallet or passport in a country in which you are the visitor, then you know how upsetting and difficult this can be. Not knowing much Thai and traveling in a few days, I was worried.

Almost immediately I get a call from my gym, which is nearby. The woman on the phone speaks very softly and doesn’t speak much English, but I can make out the word “wallet”.

So, I dash the 2 blocks to the gym, and it turns out somebody has found my wallet, seen my gym card and called the gym.

The gentlemen who found my wallet is waiting for me at a bakery nearby. One of the gym attendants offers to walk me over to where he’s waiting.

We get there and a middle-aged Thai gentleman has my wallet, everything inside and intact. His actions both saved my butt and made my week I was incredibly thankful.

Despite my offers, he wouldn’t accept any reward or tip or anything. He simply offered a wide smile and a “Wai” and went on his way.

I’ve told this story to several friends and they – like me – were surprised and impressed at his actions.

While I’m incredibly grateful and relieved, I am also sobered by the realization that it we didn’t see the gentleman’s action as “normal”. Almost all my friends and I were all surprised, even shocked, that he behaved like he did. To us, helping me was the exception, not the rule.

So perhaps, I thought, I could do something to change that calculus. My takeaway lesson was that maybe I could be a bit more generous in my life – perform a kind act or 2 for someone else regularly. No thanks or recognition required, just the knowledge that I’ve helped someone other than myself.

Seems like a pretty simple and effective ask, doesn’t it? Think I’ll give it a try…

An extra offering of thanks to the anonymous gentlemen who found my wallet and reminded me of something very important.

🙏🙏🙏