Moving is one of the most stressful things a family can go through. With renovations, packing, unpacking, and dealing with unforeseen structural issues, there isn’t a lot to be excited for when the prospect of moving arises. However, on some rare occasions, something exciting comes up that makes moving seem worth it.
How an Imperfection on a Bookshelf Led to a Secret Treasure
Levi and Kelsey Gilles, together with their daughter Ada, were excited to be moving to a new house near Harrisonburg, Virginia. The house checked all of their boxes and seemed perfect for their family. Levi and Kelsey let their daughter Ada, who was 15-years-old, choose the room she wanted for herself. She decided to choose one with a recessed bookcase that she couldn’t wait to decorate. The room was perfect for her, and she wouldn’t imagine that it could get any better.
As she was decorating and preparing her bedroom, Ada noticed a small imperfection on the bottom of the bookshelf. There was a latch and a little gap that didn’t look like it belonged. She and her parents investigated. After feeling around, the family realized that the bookshelf was a kind of door that had to be slid to one side in order to reveal what lay on the other side – which was a secret room!
What a Family Found in a Hidden Room at Their New Home
The secret room behind the bookshelf was completely camouflaged, and held a working light and a drawer – a perfect private place! Ada and her parents quickly opened the drawer to see what was inside and found some rare coins.
The Gilles family knew they couldn’t keep such amazing coins, and returned the treasure to its rightful owner. However, they were now the owner of this amazing secret room. They shared their story on YouTube where it got 1 million hits!
How Leading with Integrity Set an Incredible Example
While we may not all be so lucky to find hidden treasure or special secret rooms in our houses, we can all take a lesson from what happened to the Gilles family. There are always special secrets and special surprises hidden in all of our lives, homes, and families. The Gilles family also decided to return the rare coins instead of keeping it for themselves, proving they led with integrity and at the same time set an amazing example to their young daughter.
We only have to look a little bit to discover the amazing treasures in our everyday lives. Once we find them, we should celebrate what makes us special every single day.
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act with integrity
“Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not.” – Oprah Winfrey