<div><p>Think of your most prized physical possession. </p><p>Is it a book? A teddy bear? Maybe an old sweater with lots of memories?</p><p>Now imagine someone rips that item from your life with no warning at all. How would you feel?</p><p>For one woman in Westport, New Zealand, her prized possession was a blanket that belonged to her late son. And in an instant it was gone.</p><p>The woman, Sala Ioane, hung out some laundry to dry and when she returned, everything was gone...including the blanket. </p><p>She took to a local Facebook group in an attempt to find who did it, but instead of the bitter and angry position most of us would take, she surprised everyone with understanding. </p><div><figure><a href="https://twitter.com/hilarymcam/status/863975434400055296" target="_blank"><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/blaket-2.PNG" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></a><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite><a href="https://twitter.com/hilarymcam/status/863975434400055296" target="_blank">Twitter</a></cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>Instead of ripping into the thief for taking her things, Sala graciously asks if he or she needs help. She realizes there's a REASON someone would have to steal children's clothing and blankets. Rather than be upset, she just tried to make sure the kids are okay. </p><p>"I could have made the situation worse... or changed it completely... I chose to change it completely," Ioane <a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11857109">says</a>.</p><p>The next day, Ioane posted this:</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/blanket-1.PNG" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Twitter</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>"[The woman] said in the letter she was in an abusive relationship and her partner had taken everything including her kids' clothes, and money from her kids' piggy-bank," Ioane said. "I felt for her."</p><p>Within hours, this story was circulating online. Not a single person passed judgement on the woman who stole the items, but rather offered support and words of kindness for the way the situation was handled. </p><p>As for Sala Ioane, she says she didn't do it to be a hero, but that she's "just a mother who can relate to real struggle and know it all too well".</p><p>Would you have done the same thing? </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p></div>