A week and a half ago, my luck with Bella the motor scooter finally ran out. Bella was stolen from a motorcycle parking lot in SOMA in a brief 20 minute window while I was getting dinner at the new IKEA food hall. It really really sucks to lose her.
I had a lot of feelings in the days after she was stolen — anger, fear, self-reproach, annoyance. But also I feel grateful for so many reasons:
- that this is a problem that money can solve.
- that my loss of Bella is not life-shattering, like it might be for someone else who depends on their main means of transportation. People getting their car stolen or disabled is often the first step that leads them to homelessness.
- that my own safety, health, and well-being were not threatened by this crime.
- that I got 11 years of service out of her, which seems like a long time for a motor scooter.
The theft of Bella also has me reflecting on the important Quaker value of simplicity. Quakers don’t espouse an ascetic or monastic way of life (although some Quakers do practice this.) Quakers are historically solidly middle class and some have gotten quite wealthy through their thoughtful and diligent business practices.
Quakers espouse a balanced relationship to wealth and material goods that doesn’t get in way of one’s relationship to the divine and other people. A relationship that uses one’s means to live out one’s values in the world and to support each other and causes that we believe in.
I have believed this for nearly three decades. But I have never had it seriously put to the test. So losing the most (monetarily) valuable thing I own — my motor scooter — was an interesting challenge.
I’m happy to say that it has not taken long for me to process my grief and anger and move on. So I am thankful for my Quaker practices and community for helping me to get through this.
And I am so thankful that I have the means to swiftly replace my motor scooter with another one. My friendly neighborhood scooter shop SF Scooter Centre has hooked me up with a nearly brand new Genuine Buddy 170i 2022 model in a very stylish matte black color.
One of my favorite things of my previous scooter was the beautiful British racing green color. But I think I can get used to matte black. She’s super fun to ride and I love her already.
Now what should I name her?