I lost stuff on Friday: my mojo after another poor night’s sleep.  My perspective after not having enough time to process everything coming at me.

And a diamond earring my late husband had given me.

20 minutes before yet another video conference call, I wrapped a towel around my head after a shower, and felt it catch on something.  I felt my left ear, and the earring was gone.  The back still stuck to my ear.

Now I’m putting on my glasses so I can look in the tub, on the towel, the floor next to the tub.  Nothing.  I quickly dress, get a screwdriver and open the drain.  Feel down the trap.  Nothing.

I wouldn’t care, except they were a gift from my husband.  They’re irreplaceable now.  I feel like I just lost him all over again. Probably down the drain.  I’m kicking myself for my carelessness and basically feeling sorry for myself.  I say a quick prayer to find the earring later, and then I have to get on the phone.

After two more conferences, I finally have time to go back into the bathroom.  I’m not going to give up.  I’m going to crawl over every inch of that room if I have to in the hope of finding the earring.  What are the chances it actually went down the drain? I quickly estimate the odds as well under 50%.  Maybe 20%.  I mean, if the towel pulled on the earring, it likely went in an outward direction, rather than toward the inside of the tub, right?

I don’t want to vacuum in case it sucks it up.

So, I’m on my hands and knees, feeling my way across the floor.  I find dust and clear it by hand.  I pull out everything – the scale, the wastebasket.  I even empty the contents of the wastebasket one by one in case it flew in there.

I’m about to grab the magazine basket when I hear something clank against the bottom of the toilet.  It’s my earring.  I just kicked it with my foot.  It must have been right up against the edge and I hadn’t seen it yet.

Whew.  I say a quick prayer of thanks.  I haven’t lost a precious gift from my husband.  What was lost is now found.  Both my earring and my perspective.  My attitude.  I got a precious gift a second time.  And this earring means even more to me than it did when my husband gave it to me.  Because now it means hope.  It means I’m not forgotten.  It means I’m loved.

These signs are everywhere.  In the middle of this virus.  Of the uncertainty.  Of the stress of forced togetherness.  And aloneness.  Signs that we matter.  That we’re loved.  That this world is a beautiful place, even now.  That this too shall pass.  We will likely not be the same as we were.  And that can be a good thing or not, depending on how we choose now.

I lost it today.  You may lose it another day.  And that’s okay.  We know we can and will get it back.  When we see who we still are.  What we still have.  Ourselves.  Each other (from 6 feet away).

Yeah.  I lost it.  And I found it.

What have you lost and found during this challenging time?  Share in the conversation by leaving a comment.  And share this post with a friend.  We all lose it from time to time.  It’s good to know we’re not alone.

P.S., I created a COVID-19 Quarantine Playlist on Spotify for your listening enjoyment.  Here’s the link.