Sister UNINVITED ME To Her Wedding So I Told My Parents Not TO Go | r/BestOf

[00:00:01] [SPEAKER_01] Hey Waffle Gang, I do hope you are well. My name is Mark and today we're checking out some more Reddit Stories. And if you do love a Reddit Story, why not consider? Hit that like, subscribe, maybe that notification bell too. And let's crack on with today's first story. Much love guys. Now today's first story comes from IllustriousBig207 from the AmITheArsehole subreddit. And it says, Would I be the arsehole if I asked my parents not to attend my sister's wedding since she uninvited me?

[00:00:29] [SPEAKER_01] A few days ago, my 16 female sister, 25 female, announced that she would be getting married next year. Obviously, I was happy for her. And when she gave out the invitations to the guests, I was expecting to be invited. However, when I checked with her, she told me that she and her fiancé wanted a child-free wedding and that I would not be allowed to come. I was saddened by the news, but I accepted it, assuming it had to do with the venue or maybe legal stuff like the presence of alcohol or insurance liability.

[00:00:58] [SPEAKER_01] That changed when I found out her fiancé's 15-year-old cousin was invited. From what I know, she and I are the only teenagers in either family. So I initially assumed my sister had misunderstood something. Maybe the child-free rule only applied to kids under 13 or something like that. But when I asked her, she clarified that the cousin was the only exception. She said it was because the cousin is extremely mature for her age, that she and the fiancé are very close, and that she sees her as a sister.

[00:01:26] [SPEAKER_01] That really upset me. The cousin is younger than me, and while I understand they may have a bond, I feel like my sister and I have a strong relationship too. Or at least I thought we did. It felt like she was basically saying I'm less mature or less important, even though I'm her actual sister. So I told her I thought it was hypocritical to exclude me, but still invite someone younger. She responded by saying that it's her wedding and she's allowed to make the guest list however she wants.

[00:01:51] [SPEAKER_01] But then she added that she thinks I'd throw off the vibe, because she wants the wedding to feel more adult. That really hurt as I've never caused any drama at family events, and I don't think I act immaturely. It felt like she was making a judgment about me that came out of nowhere. I ended up telling my parents about it, and they agreed with me. They said it felt unfair and hypocritical for my sister to exclude me while inviting someone even younger, especially without a clear reason. They told my sister how they felt, but she stood by her decision.

[00:02:21] [SPEAKER_01] I'm debating on whether I should ask them not to go, as I kind of understand her, my wedding, my rules attitude. But I still feel upset about it, and I want my parents to stand up for me. I feel like if one of them pushes back, she will back down and let me come. So would I be the arsehole if I asked my parents to reconsider going to the wedding? Edit, title should say, didn't invite, instead of uninvited. Now, obviously this one just leaves questions rather than being able to give an answer.

[00:02:48] [SPEAKER_01] Because simply, why did your sister uninvite you or didn't invite you to the wedding? Because the child-free excuse is just clearly bullshit if this 15-year-old is invited and she knew about it. And I think that's what I would really want to know. Why didn't you invite me to the wedding if you're inviting someone else? Because again, the she's extremely mature for her age again is bullshit. And whenever situations like this come up about, you know, uninviting or disinviting someone, a family member from a wedding,

[00:03:15] [SPEAKER_01] is always going to cause some upset down the road. So what was she thinking? But people in the comments were saying similar, saying we're missing part of this story. The part that explains what Opie did to piss her sister off this much. I can guarantee you there's more to this. Opie replied, Sam, what else do you want to know? I genuinely can't think of a reason other than the child-free thing for her not to invite me. Commenter says, why does she hate you so much? Opie says, I don't think she hates me. Commenter says, what the hell is wrong with her then?

[00:03:45] [SPEAKER_01] Opie says, if I knew the answer, I'd probably confront her. But as far as I know, there's nothing that has happened between us to make her not invite me. And a top commenter on the post said, not the arsehole. If my older child didn't invite younger one to their wedding, similar age difference, I would not be going. Your parents should totally have your back here. Unfortunately, your sister has forever ruined their relationship with you. If she does not change her mind about your invitation, I would never speak to her again.

[00:04:12] [SPEAKER_01] So it was eight months after that post that Opie came in with her update and said, I just wanted to add an update since the wedding happened and I remembered I posted on here in July or something. After the post, I did end up asking my parents not to go. I just said I felt insecure and kind of embarrassed that I was being excluded. They told me they understood why, but they were still going to the wedding. They did say they would talk to my sister about it, but told me she wouldn't budge. For a few months, things were awkward between me and my sister.

[00:04:40] [SPEAKER_01] We barely talked and I thought that things seemed weird between her and our parents. I felt really bad that I might have ruined their relationship with our parents just over a wedding. I really wanted to apologize. The first time we actually interacted properly was at a family gathering in late November. It was at her house and I didn't want to go, but I didn't want to make things worse. When I greeted her, she told me that she wanted to talk to me in her kitchen. She told me she regretted not inviting me and then doubling down on it.

[00:05:07] [SPEAKER_01] She said she had already been really stressed about the wedding and was trying to make everything perfect for both her and her fiance. Apparently, they had both agreed on a child-free wedding, but had different definitions of it. And she didn't realize until I told her that the cousin was coming, which she didn't know about. She decided to make up some excuse as to why they were invited without really thinking about how it'd sound. Anne kind of accidentally called me immature and implied our relationship wasn't close.

[00:05:32] [SPEAKER_01] So, she apologized and said she felt really bad about how she handled it and asked if I would forgive her. I told her I was still hurt about it, but I appreciated the apology. Then she told me I was invited and she'd been wanting to talk for a while, but felt that I'd be really angry at her. I mean, I kind of was, but it's whatever. The wedding actually happened about a week ago. I did end up going and everything was pretty normal and the cousin seemed pretty nice, even though we didn't interact. I honestly felt a little guilty for using her as reasoning to pressure my sister.

[00:06:02] [SPEAKER_01] Anyway, TLDR, my sister was stressed and felt like I cornered her, so made up a dumb excuse without realizing she was insulting me. She apologized and invited me. A commenter says to OP, it sounds like your sister didn't know the cousin was invited. Is that what she told you? OP replied yes. TDF Monster replies saying, at least you got to go. But man, I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when she confronted her now husband about why his younger cousin could go, but not you. OP says I wouldn't really say it's his fault.

[00:06:31] [SPEAKER_01] My sister can be really bad at communicating and they both probably just assumed the other knew what they meant. To another commenter OP says, my brother-in-law was actually expecting me to come. I'm assuming at least. He's a nice guy and even though we barely interact, he doesn't seem to dislike me. I don't think he's at fault here, mainly because my sister is really bad at communication in general. My sister is definitely the one I'm most angry at, but I really do believe she just misunderstood the child-free thing.

[00:06:57] [SPEAKER_01] Sunshine and Gumdrop says, there is no way she didn't know the 15-year-old cousin was on the guest list. The guest list is a major part of wedding planning. OP says, honestly, I still kind of don't believe her. By kinder, I mean a tiny bit. But I'd much rather assume it was a miscommunication, mistake or whatever than believe my sister doesn't like me slash doesn't want me at her wedding. To another commenter OP says, honestly, I'd much rather just believe that my sister was stressed than potentially ruin my relationship with her.

[00:07:25] [SPEAKER_01] Even though she's kind of an ass, she's still my sister. You know what I mean. It's easier to just forgive and get over it than go no contact and argue or whatever. But if she does something like this again, I definitely won't forgive her so easily. Inverse says, the problem with this is that reality is still real, even if you don't want to believe it. OP replies saying, well, yeah, but unless she starts acting rude again, what she actually meant doesn't matter anymore. So I'm choosing to ignore that she could have been lying.

[00:07:52] [SPEAKER_01] And then to many people telling her to cut the sister from her life, OP says, thanks for the perspective. I keep the situation in my mind going forward. I don't really want to throw away my relationship with my sister over one incident that may have been caused by stress. But if something like this happens again, I'll definitely rethink things and probably distance myself. And many people in the back of this one just saying that the sister was trying to save face in this situation. But what do you guys make of this one? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below.

[00:08:21] [SPEAKER_01] And let's move on to another story. Our next story comes from EREB78 and says, I, 25 female and my boyfriend, 25 male, have been dating since high school. He knows I have my weird quirks and rituals due to my OCD. And it has been a prominent thing in our relationship. He knew this before we started dating. And it has never been an issue before. I love him so much and may have overreacted, but I don't know.

[00:08:51] [SPEAKER_01] For some context, I was diagnosed with OCD when I was around seven years old. And not like where I have to be tidy or anything. For me specifically, I do things in sets of two. And I have reoccurring thoughts, bad anxiety, etc, etc. At first, I feel like my boyfriend was really supportive. He'd make comments here and there and poke fun at it like, Did you do it twice? Or something like that. It never really bothered me up until recently. He tries to do things that he knows will upset me and make me spiral just for fun.

[00:09:20] [SPEAKER_01] One thing I like to do is pick up pennies for good luck. Not that I like leaving luck, but I always just do it and I feel like I need to do it. So a few weeks ago, he was talking with his friends and they'd brought up something and I guess they caught me in one of my little habits. It's one where I have to crack my knuckles in a certain way. His friends kind of laugh and ask me what I'm doing. My boyfriend goes, OCD freak. And I knew he was joking, but like, why is he trying to embarrass me in front of his friends? A different time, he asked me why I had to be so embarrassing.

[00:09:50] [SPEAKER_01] So the other day, we were walking downtown and I pick up this penny and he notices. When we get beside the river, he takes my penny and throws it in there. I started freaking out and obviously my mind spiraled with thoughts that weren't true, but still scary like, you're gonna get bad luck. I literally started to tear up and he told me I'd be fine. I asked him why he would do that and he said it wasn't a big deal. I told him that he knew before we started dating that my OCD was a huge part of who I was and that little things like this really set me off.

[00:10:20] [SPEAKER_01] He told me not to be so sensitive. So I brought up everything he'd been doing for the past few weeks and I told him if he couldn't accept this part of me, then I didn't want to be with him. I ended up getting my mom to pick me up and haven't seen him since. It's only been two days. He keeps texting me and apologizing, but I don't know if I should keep him in my life or not. His weird snarky replies about my OCD and like taking my penny and throwing it. It sounds stupid, but it really made me upset. Edit to the one who said I needed therapy.

[00:10:49] [SPEAKER_01] Just so everyone knows, I am in therapy. OCD is a mental disorder that you cannot just simply rid of. Until you have it, you won't understand it. No. Edit 2. I wanted to come on here and clear up some things. I've read some of your comments and I want to thank everyone who gave me advice. No, I have not come back yet. I told him we'd talk sometime this week, but felt firm in my decision. First of all, this post was to judge if I was the arsehole for leaving my boyfriend over this. People have taken it and questioned the integrity of my disorder.

[00:11:18] [SPEAKER_01] Told me to get help and I shouldn't make it my whole life. It is a mental health disorder. I've been to two psychiatrists, three therapists and so many doctors to try and help. The knowledge you guys have is limited. This means these little rituals are the easy end of my disorder. Something I had to live with. Being okay with having OCD. No one can make me feel bad for having it. I had to learn I was not a freak. It took me back though when someone this close to me could treat me this horribly. I'd never take OCD for karma.

[00:11:48] [SPEAKER_01] I just got Reddit and I don't even understand how the whole karma thing works. I simply wanted to see what should be done in my situation. So the people telling me to get help again, assume you are not medical professionals. I've gotten plenty of help and have learned many coping techniques. This does not mean that my OCD just vanishes. It is a part of me and it will always be. If my boyfriend did not like this part of me, they shouldn't have gotten with me since I've been so open about it. Another thing, when I say it's a huge part of me, it does not mean I make it a big deal to others.

[00:12:18] [SPEAKER_01] It is a big deal but to myself. When I'm having episodes, I don't take it out on others and make them deal with my problems. It's something I've learned to deal with alone. It's me. It's who I am. But I don't let it define me and my relationships. OCD is not like an overbearing mother who comes between relationships but sometimes it will certainly get triggered. Please, if you've never been through it, you don't understand it. Bloody hell, I'm worried about getting to the comments on this one. I think they're going to trigger me the way that Opie's having to justify herself in this situation at the moment.

[00:12:48] [SPEAKER_01] Because Opie didn't blow up her relationship over a penny. She ended things because her boyfriend was deliberately triggering her mental health condition for a laugh. He called her a freak in front of his friends. And when she tried to explain why that hurt, he was telling her not to be so sensitive. You know what? Fuck that guy. The penny wasn't the breakup. The penny was the moment she finally had enough of his bullshit. And good for her. One of the commenters says, not the arsehole.

[00:13:13] [SPEAKER_01] But I will say, you saying that your OCD was never an issue before is obviously untrue from everything else you say. It's an issue to him. He's communicating that like a jerk though. Opie replies saying, sorry, elaboration. Never an issue to the relationship. My OCD was very much a prominent thing in my childhood up until now. I'd argue it's gotten a little better since getting older. OCD never did seem to bother him before we started dating until very recently. Opie responds to a comment about using OCD as an excuse.

[00:13:44] [SPEAKER_01] Ugh. Opie says, yikes, what? OCD has literally ruined my life. Nobody on this Reddit thread, and I mean no one, is exactly what I've gone through. I put a snippet on here, but it doesn't tell my full story. My post was to judge if I was the arsehole for breaking up. This was not to question the integrity of my disorder. Let me make this clear. I would never take my OCD and use it for views or to gain some sort of sympathy in my relationship. Opie responds on the possibility of recovery or remission from OCD.

[00:14:14] [SPEAKER_01] And Opie says recovery looks different for everyone. You cannot work harder and make it disappear. I'm working on this with professionals, not with random people on Reddit. Again, I ask for judgment on my breakup, not on my disorder, which has been constant and constant within this thread. BPD and OCD are not the same. The treatment approaches and recovery process are different. Don't compare apples and oranges here and tell me what works with you. I am not you, and you are not me. Let me focus on the point of my post. And I agree, I'm being defensive.

[00:14:44] [SPEAKER_01] I think it's out of line for you to say these things unknowing of my situation. I can't do anything overnight, so I really would like to know what you want me to do. It seems like you have a quick solution, so tell me. You don't know what I've been through. Stop acting like you do. I don't mind getting defensive because I don't need unhelpful, unsolicited advice. I'm not one of those people who won't try to get better. It's almost like you're purposely trying to misread my replies. Commodore says not the arsehole. It wasn't the penny. It was just the last straw.

[00:15:13] [SPEAKER_01] And one more comment who says not the arsehole. He knew about your OCD from the start, and now he's using it to mess with you for fun. That's messed up. The penny thing and calling you a freak in front of his friends isn't okay. He's just being a jerk. A couple of days later, Opie comes in with an update and says, First of all, thank you to everyone who commented on my original post. If you haven't read it, please do. Even the hate comments taught me something. OCD is so misrepresented on the media.

[00:15:40] [SPEAKER_01] I've been in my own little OCD circle, and haven't really met people like me. I've had a lot of people telling me to just get help and that my condition was completely manageable. Before I get into the update, I want to explain a little more about my OCD. I've had several people say it was the cute kind because I have quirks. I appreciate it people trying to paint it as something not so bad. But remember folks, your knowledge of other people on the internet is limited.

[00:16:05] [SPEAKER_01] When I was younger, I refused to eat or drink any foods not prepared by me because I was afraid they were poisoned. Yes, I was afraid my own friends and family tried poisoning me. Another thing, I have extreme health anxiety. I'm very body conscious and every time something feels off, even slightly, I go to the doctor. I sometimes go twice a week. I have periods where I'm okay and I feel like I'm finally doing better. Then it all comes back again. It's exhausting. Also exhausting that so many people think I can go into remission and heal myself.

[00:16:34] [SPEAKER_01] A lot of people compare their disorders of BPD, ADHD, etc, etc to mine and tell me since they got better, I can and that I'm not working hard enough. Funny enough, that day I went out with my boyfriend at a single OCD moment. Usually, it'll come randomly. If you touch this, you'll die or if you don't do this, you'll die. So this all happened four days ago. I tried to not answer him when he'd text me. Maybe a little okays here and there. The gist of it is basically that I should have known he was joking.

[00:17:03] [SPEAKER_01] He turned it from he was sorry to I should be sorry. I asked him if he even understood my side and he said no, but maybe we can talk in person. I told him that we could meet, but I was pretty firm in my stance. We had dinner last night and he said he was out of line, even afterwards when texting me. He told me he couldn't lose me and that he loved me. He told me he did some research on OCD and compulsions and learned that these things can be really triggering for some people. I told him thank you for saying that, but I needed to work on myself.

[00:17:32] [SPEAKER_01] I've been with him for eight years. I don't know myself without him. I told him we could still be friends, but he really hurt me and this was my opportunity to now work on myself. Later though, his mom texted me and she said I was making a mistake. His mom loves me and I knew she would probably be more devastated than him. I told her that my decision was final and that he really hurt me. She basically told me I was just looking for a reason to leave him because that was ridiculous. I told her it wasn't true and I even explained all of the other circumstances.

[00:18:01] [SPEAKER_01] She told me to give him one more chance and I left her on read. I don't even know if I want to speak to him anymore, but I do know that I'm glad I did this for myself. Again, thank you to all the comments who supported me and to all the comments who did not. If you told me to just get help, please go take a psychology course or get a degree. A top commenter said to OP, You were with him for 8 years and he only just now did some research on the internet to finally understand that OCD might be triggering for some people. What a complete arse he is.

[00:18:30] [SPEAKER_01] And then he made you break up with his mommy. He doesn't have one shred of self-respect in him. The commenter says stop responding to both of them. You can't be friends. Friends don't treat friends this way. A clean break is better. You've been together since you were a teenager. You want to change so much and he has revealed how little he respects or even likes you. Staying together for his mother's sake isn't smart. She got over it and you aren't dating her.

[00:18:54] [SPEAKER_01] You need to spend time learning more about yourself as a young adult without this waste of space mocking you in the guise of jokes. These are not jokes, by the way. This is how he really feels about you. He's just more vocal about it because you tolerated it for so long. Not your fault trying to navigate romantic relationships from a young age. You're managing your OCD as best as you can and you've been very articulate expressing how OCD doesn't look the same for everyone. For me, it's mostly under control.

[00:19:20] [SPEAKER_01] But I still have to jiggle my front door handle three times and start climbing steps with my right foot and end with my left. My eye might twitch at an uneven picture on a wall or unintended asymmetry. But I don't ruminate on it and it doesn't give me anxiety. I have someone else whose version involves rumination and intrusive thoughts with accompanying anxiety. Same umbrella, different presentations and severity. You can do this. Proud of you for seeing how your ex wasn't good for your mental health.

[00:19:47] [SPEAKER_01] And the top commenter on that update pretty much said it all, really, didn't it? Eight years together and he only googled OCD compulsions after she dumped him. That's pretty much the whole story right there, right? It's absolutely awful what he was doing. Calling her a freak in front of his friends. Deliberately triggering her spirals for a laugh. And then throwing her penny in the river and telling her not to be so sensitive. You know, it just takes the piss. And then, of course, he's sending his mummy as backup. And she's absolutely right to go.

[00:20:17] [SPEAKER_01] Eight years is a long time, sure. But the I don't know myself without him is a reason to leave, not a reason to stay. And just that comment at the end there reminded me of something I still do to this day. I'm not trying to diagnose anything or compare myself with Opie's OCD or saying it's the same or anything like that. It just reminded me of like, I always have to check the bathroom tap. I got like one of these lever ones. And if I get it in my head, I have to keep checking it over and over. Even though I can see it's off, I have to keep pressing it down.

[00:20:46] [SPEAKER_01] Sometimes four or five times until I really have to convince myself in my head it's off. Just go until I forget about it. But what about you guys? What do you guys make of this situation? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below. And let's move on to another story. Now, our next story is a bit of a different one. Just called The Tale of the Lost Australian iPad. From user Intrepid Turnips from the r slash Columbus subreddit.

[00:21:15] [SPEAKER_01] The original title being, My lost iPad turned up in Columbus, Ohio all the way from Sydney, Australia. Hey guys, I'm an Australian young woman joining this in hopes of, I don't know, a miracle. Basically what it says. And I'm posting this because I don't know what to do. I lost my iPad two years ago. And I was pretty devastated because all my photos and 2D animation projects are in that iPad. Last night I got an email that someone tried to access my iPad and sent me their location.

[00:21:44] [SPEAKER_01] And I was able to see it is now in Columbus, Ohio. There's some new happy owners. I have added a message. iPad lost and found or whatever it's called allows you. So far, no one has called me or anything. I guess it's safe to say my iPad is stolen. I'm not sure what to do. I'd feel pretty silly calling the police as I live in Australia. But then again, it is my property and it boils my blood that someone is happily in the possession of it while I mourn the loss of my projects, photos, and it wasn't bloody cheap either.

[00:22:14] [SPEAKER_01] I still haven't gotten a new iPad because I can't justify the cost and felt I had to take the L. I'm wondering if anyone has any advice. If it would be ridiculous to let the police know and they would have any way of sending it back to me. I'd pay all shipping costs obviously. Here are some photos of my beloved iPad. 9,467 miles away from home. So Opie did show an image of a map where the iPad is located, where it's pinging to her. So the commenters chimed in.

[00:22:44] [SPEAKER_01] One said, wow, I'm sorry that it was lost and ended up all the way over here. Opie says, thanks. I know. I wonder about its story. I wouldn't have even known if they hadn't turned it on because it was off when I lost it. So didn't ping on the find my device as it wasn't connected to any network. Commodore says from that distance, it looks right about where the Hilliard Square shopping center is on Cemetery Road. Opie says, if only flights weren't 18 hours and $3,000, I could come get it myself. Opie says, Leap Road, not a bad neighborhood.

[00:23:13] [SPEAKER_01] You'd think the market for used iPads from sketchy sources would be thin there. Opie laughs and says, I have no idea about anything. Here I was thinking like maybe it's a kid and they got it for their birthday or something. Maybe they have no idea, but I really want it back. Also the fact that my contact details I think are on it and they haven't messaged. Commodore says, looks like E-Cycle is located in that shopping center. A wireless buyback company that recycles electronics. Maybe try calling them. Opie says, I've sent them an email.

[00:23:42] [SPEAKER_01] Not sure if I have international coverage, but my aunt lives in San Francisco and I might ask her to call for me. Kyle, the shiny stealer says, sent you a message. My company works with used technology and our office is located right there. I can almost guarantee it's in my office. What? Kyle is confident. Holy moly. Update. Opie says, hey guys, update. Not sure how to do an update. I'm so overwhelmed. I can't believe the response this has gotten.

[00:24:10] [SPEAKER_01] I actually feel quite emotional now and I really want to visit Columbus, Ohio. If it's filled with bloody legends like all of you. An employee, Kyle, the shiny stealer, saw this post because apparently it's a used electronic shop. I've sent them through my serial number. Who they in turn have sent through to their boss. So my fingers are crossed that they will find it and hopefully we can sort something out that can get it posted and make its way back home. Feels very finding Nemo to me right now. Kyle then comes in and adds an update and says, hello everyone.

[00:24:36] [SPEAKER_01] We located the lost iPad and we're waiting for her to email us with her contact information so we can ship it back to her. Commenter on the back of this one says, we did it Reddit. Another one says, tourism department of Columbus should reach out to the iPad owner and offer a free trip to experience more than our city's tech sleuthing skills. Commenter says, when you send it back to Opie, you should throw in some Ohio and Columbus swag. You know, so she can rep in the land down under. Commenter says, can we get a play by play of how it was found at your facility, etc.

[00:25:05] [SPEAKER_01] You know, before Lifetime turns it into a sappy made for TV movie. But seriously, good job. Commenter says, they're an electronics recycling facility. They most likely turn on devices before destroying them just to see if they work as many could be refurbished or resold for much more than scrap. They turned it on and it pinged home. Commenter says, Opie, curious. What's the story of how you lost your iPad? Did you forget it somewhere? Was it stolen? What a journey it's been on.

[00:25:32] [SPEAKER_01] Opie says, I noticed it missing after a journey from Brazil, LA, Sydney. So I assumed that it got lost or left on a plane. However, I emailed slash sent lost and found forms to the airlines and airports and got nothing. So I assumed that it just got taken after I'd left it somewhere. I was pretty shocked to see it appear in Ohio though. I'd never been anywhere near there. I was only in the States for transit anyway. Another commenter says, I imagine that little iPad with its shiny little shoes clicking its heels saying, there's no place like home with an Aussie accent of course.

[00:26:01] [SPEAKER_01] This is amazing. Opie says, that's how I picture it too. I also pictured it huddled in the rain in the gutter begging for coins and reminiscing on its long lost family. Opie comes in with another update saying, my iPad is on its way home from Columbus to Sydney. Hi guys. I thought I'd post this update. Although I'll probably make another one once my iPad arrives. For those who don't know, I'm a young woman from Sydney, Australia. My iPad that I lost two years ago showed up on my phone about a week ago in Columbus, Ohio.

[00:26:30] [SPEAKER_01] Where I've never been by the way. I was pretty confused and shocked. I'd given up all hope and just thought I'd lost it forever two years ago. I told my parents I was thinking of trying to contact people. And they basically told me there was no point. And there was zero chance of ever seeing it again. And not to waste any energy or effort. Well, jokes on them. Because as of yesterday, my iPad is officially mailed. And on its way home to Sydney. An employee at the place where it pinged that saw my Reddit post. And after emailing back and forth, I sign the release form.

[00:26:59] [SPEAKER_01] And I've gotten confirmation it's in the mail back to me. This whole thing has been crazy to me. And although it sounds silly, it comes at a time in my life where it is super meaningful for this to happen. I've just had my 24th birthday. In the past two weeks, I've been having a quarter life crisis and major depressive episode. Specifically contemplating my thought patterns and questioning my limiting beliefs. For this to happen, it feels like a sign that miracles can happen. As cheesy as it sounds. But more than that, it's not really for me.

[00:27:27] [SPEAKER_01] Having faith in that anything is possible, but instead not having the belief that it's impossible. Does that make sense? Probably not. To sum it up, this whole thing has restored and granted me a sense of hope and possibility that I was severely lacking in all aspects of my life. And I'm freaking optimistic, curious, and hopeful again. You guys rock. The internet can be a real rotten and poisonous place sometimes. But it can also be really, really, really cool. Just like humans. Thank you all for every comment, upvote, and message.

[00:27:55] [SPEAKER_01] I'll update with a photo with my iPad when it gets back here in about a week. Commodore says to OP, the lost Australian iPad will be a tale to go down in our city's folklore for generations. Commodore replies and has actually gained local news coverage also. That is what makes this cow town so great. These safe and kind fellow townies. Commodore says, I'm really interested to know if the data is still on it. I've worked in the e-waste recycling business before. And even though the tablets couldn't be unlocked, we could still wipe them and attempt to reset them.

[00:28:23] [SPEAKER_01] It only relocks again after it checks in with a cloud to see if it's still owned. OP says, unfortunately, the data isn't on it. And it got a bit cracked. But a white cracked iPad is better than no iPad. I'm still over the moon. It's sad about my lost animations, but I now have my tool back to make more. Commodore says, any idea how it got to Ohio? Commodore says, the place it ended up works with a lot of airlines and passenger trains. They send their lost and found devices to the company. They wipe the data and resell them.

[00:28:53] [SPEAKER_01] Eight days later, OP comes in and says, hey guys, my iPad arrived. Back to me, Sydney from Hilead, Columbus, Ohio today. I know a lawyer wanted the update when it came. So I thought I'd film in. And it was in 0.5 for some reason. So excuse the warped head and hands. So sorry for everyone I haven't replied to. I got way too many messages and it was overwhelming. But I'm so grateful to everyone. Thanks to Kylie and E-Cycle. I'm so happy to be able to start animating and working on digital art again. Columbus, Ohio. Shakes hands. Sydney, Australia.

[00:29:23] [SPEAKER_01] We will have a bond forever. And OP did include a video, which I won't have on here, but basically opening up to get a package and excited to see it again. But that is an absolutely wonderful story, I think, to end on. But what do you guys make of this situation? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below. Just a huge thank you for being here today. Getting involved in the stories, your love, your support, your time always means the absolute world to me. So thank you so, so much. And hopefully I'm going to see you in the next one. Take care.

[00:30:10] [SPEAKER_00] Take care.