I locked my door today

My Christmas shirt and tie

I locked my front door today which may not seem like a big deal until you hear that I haven't done that for over 10 years. I didn't even know where the key was to my lock. I have been living in a mobile home since my divorce in 2001 and have been very comfortable living here. I really like my neighbors and the area I live is peaceful. Where I live is a little isolated so it is not often traveled by people that don't live here. About 7 years ago I came home and found a cell phone on my table that I had never seen before. I called the police and when they came they suggested we call some numbers on the phone and see if we could find out who the phone belonged to. After doing that we found out the phone belonged to a friend of my next door neighbor. He had come into my home by mistake and as soon as he realized it he left, and in his rush to leave he left his phone. It seemed like a reasonable explanation to me and I didn't worry about it any more. You would imagine after that episode I would lock my door! Well, I locked my side door, but not my front door.

Sarah and I at Christmas dinner.

I have gone a long time without even knowing where my key was. Today it all changed! The day after Christmas I woke up and found a gold chain I wear, with a gold pendant, was gone. The pendant was there, but not the chain. I had taken off the chain Christmas Eve and put it on my sink. I realize the cats may have played with it and it had gone down the drain. Why would anyone come into my home and only take that gold necklace? Why wouldn't they take one of the computers I have in the living room, or one of the three cell phones I have on the table?

Jayne and Mom at Christmas dinner.

Today I decided to go buy a new lock and start locking my house. Sarah has a key, but I won't leave one under the doormat or something like that. I am gone a lot and I have been leaving my door unlocked even when I am on my trips. Now, my door will remain locked even when I'm home. Maybe I have been trying to invite the world into my life by leaving my home unlocked and now I am barring the world from entering my world. Maybe that is good, maybe that way I am forced to go out into the world and not waiting for the world to come to me.

Lindsey and Jayne bought the same sweater for Christmas (in different continents)