Can you imagine finding out that someone entered your home illegally? It would be completely understandable that you would feel violated, taken advantage of, upset, and angry. And if you could send a message to that intruder, what do you think it would be?
Well, a homeowner in the rural town of Danby, Vermont, had that opportunity. He posted on the Front Porch Forum, a local page for news, asking residents if they happened to see the person who entered his home. He already had the license plate of the intruder so it is quite likely the person/s will be caught. But that didn’t stop him from sending a personal message, hoping it will be passed along.
While he easily could have shared frustration, annoyance or harshness, instead he chose constructive criticism. The Hebrew word for constructive criticism is “tochecha” and it is taught that it can be read as “from within love.” This teaches that if you really want to impact someone, even when the topic is a negative one, ensure you are coming from a place of love. For there is likewise the comment that “words from the heart enter the heart.” And when you read this message, there is no question that these words are coming from the heart, and they will hopefully have the intended impact and help turn this person’s life around.
The message was posted as follows:
Please pass this message along to the person(s) who intruded, if possible:
When you chose to park at the rear door of the house, and reportedly use a front door key intended for realtor purposes only, and intrude upon the house, including turning on the water supply so you could use the “facilities”, all un-invited, there were a number of people, including yourself, that you affected by that choice. Many people within our community now have an eroded sense of safety, and perhaps you felt that when family members who are nearby neighbors discovered you were there. You now have a choice to do the right thing, holding yourself accountable for your own actions, and let the VT State Police know that it was you who did that. Perhaps that will lessen the law enforcement that you will face, but more importantly it will be a turning point for you, because from this moment forward you can be empowered to make different choices that will lead you to the life you and your loved ones hope for, rather than a path you may later regret. This is basic human nature, and you are a valuable human being, just like the other people who you have affected by that choice are valued. You cannot go back and undo what has been done so far, but you do have the power within you to change it from this moment forward; that is your choice also. You many not like what this message of truth, not sugarcoated, says to you, but hopefully you understand it, and the options you have in front of you. Hopefully you choose to believe in yourself, your future, and make the right choice, the human choice, the noble choice, contributing to the renewed sense of safety within our community.
Header Image: Danby, VT by Sara Esther Crispe
