Hi there,
Everybody has times in their life when they do something that they regret and wish they could go back and undo. You said that you were with your friend when you did this and I know that sometimes being around others can make us act differently and make it hard to do that right thing.
Whats happened has happened and unfortunately you cant change history, but you can learn from it so that you can do things differently in the future. I can tell that this is something that youre probably not going to do again so it seems like you have grown and learned from it. This is a positive thought for you to hold on to.
Its important to be kind to yourself and not to keep making yourself feel ashamed for this mistake that you made.
If you would like to do something to try and make it right, you could always visit the shop and return the item though you would have to be prepared for any action they take if you do. Stealing is against the law and there can be consequences but Primark may see it as a positive step youre taking by returning the stolen items and allow you to return them.
The other alternative to this is posting the item back or writing a letter of apology without anyone knowing who you are. This could allow you get this off your chest without having to worry what might happen if you were to go into the shop yourself.
When I read your letter I could hear how guilty you are still feeling from what happened. Guilt is a difficult emotion. However guilt can also be helpful because it can help us learn new ways of doing things because of the impact an action can have on our feelings. You can read some more about it here.
If you'd like to talk about this more you can call a ChildLine counsellor for free on 0800 1111. Alternatively you could log on for a 1-2-1 chat, or send an email.
Take care, thanks for your letter.
Sam
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I read every single letter but I can only answer a few each week. My replies are published here on my page.
