Friday, January 13, 2006

Thou shall not steal

I usually try not to take things that do not belong to me. May it be a small eraser or something huge. If I see money on the street I pick it up and make sure I put it as offering in the church the coming Sunday. If a cashier gives me extra change, I return it to them. If a cashier forgets to charge me for something, I remind them about that too. That is just the way I'm.

The reason I do this is because I firmly believe that things I do not earn, do not stay with me.

One of our family friends, he gets paid by the hour, and one day he got paid for few hours that he didn't work. He decided to keep mum about the whole thing and dashed home. He got home and opened his car garage and the chain broke and it cost him the almost the same amount as he got over paid. When we were kids, dad used to tell us this story all the time, when we brought something home that didn't belong to us. No matter how insignificant, he made us return it. He once made me apologize for bringing a paper clip from neighbor's home (I was 5 and was fascinated by it).

Last weekend, Shekar and I went out of town and we stayed at a hotel. When we checked out, it wasn't that cold, so I decided not to wear my jacket. So I grabbed a hanger from the hotel closet, put my jacket on it and took it to my car and hung it by the back seat of the car.

Yesterday I got home after work and I was putting away my clothes. I was putting away the turtle neck (opening to put the hanger is too small) I wore during the day, and as I try to put the sweater on the hanger, the hanger snapped.

That is when I realized that my dad's story still stands true and I vow not to take anymore things (no matter how small or insignificant) from anywhere.

16 comments:

Sayesha said...

Amazing... and so true... :)

Whatever we do, always comes back to us, doesn't it? :)

silverine said...

Very very true. What comes easy goes easy. But Thanu I have had people looking at me like I am crazy when I have returned excess cash or pointed out an error favoring me in billing me etc. Some people don't even say thank you. Guess they are too shocked to see people like you and me he he :))

*Now that was a great post to read beofore going to church.

* Hope that was the right thing to say Mr Advisor a.k.a. Geo ;))))

educatedunemployed said...

Are you nice or are you nice?There are similar principles I live by too,but I doubt I am that stringent..:)

Kaala Kavva said...

very honest and very true.
exactly what I believe very firmly in.

Rays Of Sun said...

Everything comes back to you at the end..True..
P.S:-So I grabbed a hanger from the hotel closet, put my jacket on it and took it to my car and hung it by the back seat of the car
WHAT?? I have have put it on the car seat only, instead of the hanger [:D]

Eclectic Blogger said...

very true.. i also follow it.. feels good..

Geo said...

I appreciate (and try to follow as much as possible) :_)

@Silverine: You've Excelled Yourself =))

Nobody mentioned anything abt the remuneration part of the responsibility assigned to me. =))

GourmayMasala said...

Hey Thanu,

I second your point. Nothing comes free in this world!! Money or otherwise. Law of conservation of energy... any takers?

Anonymous said...

:)

Thats so Lovely Mom's Friend. U would make a great Mom Thanu.I have lifted some comics when I was a kid and I have changed some Barcodes...thats all ;)

Bhole said...

Kar bhala to ho bhala :)

Ginkgo said...

hmm....I like shop lifting..

But other than that...I totally agree to what u say

and my 'conscience' does rule me..all other times..:-)

Thanu said...

Sayesha
Very true.

$The Moghul...
Before u start loosing those stuff, put a brake on all shoplifting.

$Vikram
Yes, that is the way of life.

$silverine
I have had cashiers look at me like I'm crazy. Glad to be of help to set hte right mood for church.

$educatedunemployed
I'm not trying to me nice, just practice. When u are 5 and have to go to your neighbor's house and say I'm sorry I'll never take anything from here, alters ur life.

$Ze Exaggeratorr
Nice to know with all the chaapats flying ard that u r like this.

$Rays Of Sun
U know me na, jacket on the back of the seat will get wrinkled, hence hanging by the door to avoid that. I know u r rolling ur eyes.

$Eclectic Blogger
It feels good and it is right.

$Geo
We will formally let u know.

$Garam Masala
Nothing is free. The sooner we realize this, the better our life is going to

$jaguu
Changed some barcodes? I wanna hear about that. I'll make a good mom, we will see about that when that happens.

$Bhole
Sachhi.

$ginkgo
U like shoplifting... Oh Oh that no good.

Ginkgo said...

Y Y Y

Rays Of Sun said...

Rolling eyes...Absolutely:P
You remind me of my sister:)

Rays Of Sun said...

New post new post:D

Thanu said...

$ROS
Aap ne manga aur hum mana kare? Aaisa ho bi saktha hain?