Thursday, February 18, 2010

Resisting Temptation

Completely inspired by Sraikh, I have been scouring the trading sites here, for some of the more fancy, non necessary things I need around the house. And on Saturday picked up three pretty bamboo, wicker baskets from a girl who sold them. Came home, got the baskets out, and found a pretty silver chain in it. I am not the lucky kinds, who finds such things, like money on the roads, so this was definitely a first. I mailed, the girl, and called her up too. She said, she could not recollect any such chain. I even sent her a photo to be sure, but she said it was not hers, and she did not want it. I did not want to keep it, since its not mine. And so off it went into the red cross bin. Mighty proud of myself, so this is just to show off, and get some pats on the back. Look at my temptation below.


Ok, I agree its a simple plain chain, but I am sure I could have worn it. And I took special effort, paid for the tram, went all the way to the store, to drop this chain, and I did not even buy anything from there. I can so, see a halo around my head right now, its shining and glowing you know!

The question however is, would I do the same if this were a diamond or even a gold necklace? Would I be able to be this moral? Not sure, not sure at all, and I specially thought of it after a chat with Sraikh, on Saturday right after I found the chain, she had a similair line of thought, and wrote about it, in her usual cool style of writing, hop over for a read.

PS - This post was ready on Saturday, but the chain had not been dropped at red cross. So I waited, till I did that, before posting. Yesterday afternoon, I visited the store, dropped the chain in, and hence am happily and honestly posting this today, as early as I can!


14 comments:

MRC said...

GM,

Read yours and Sraikh's post.Reminded me of a discussion I had on this subject with my husband once. His viewpoint, and mine too, is that any basically honest person will be able to resist the temptation,whether easily or with great difficulty , no matter what the amount in question is and no matter how much it was needed by such a person, because he or she wouldn't be able to live with themselves otherwise.

So, the question that one really needs to answer for oneself is "Am I honest?"

MRC said...

And on a totally unrelated note,
Just noticed something on your blog's sidebar- 15th July 2009 is a VERY significant date in this household.:D

Anonymous said...

I think you would have done the right thing and given it to the police...It is harder to keep expensive things than cheap ones...I would have probably left the cheap chain lying around (I don't wear jewellery) the house and not made the effort to go and give it to the Red Cross...I admire you for that...

Shrutzz said...

hey nice you gave it away.....hmmm, am not sure if I find a gold/diamind on my way what I would do......anyways will never get that Lucky ;)

Pixie said...

I'm not too sure what I would have done!
Am I greedy enough to keep it or selfless enough to donate it?!!
Hmm...

I have no clue, but I am so glad I didn't have to make the choice!!!!!!! ;) ;)

But, you did the right thing by donating it :)

Passionate Goof said...


MRC - I agree, but I also feel, a lot of us can live with finding a 2 rupee coin on the road, and just picking it up. Don't you think so? Maybe most of us are not really honest in that case. :(
And 15th July, is it the little one's birthday???

Bones - Police? Why? I did not find it on the road, it was in the basket I bought.... And I feel so good, having gone n given it, as I said, I can feel my halo.

Shruti - You never know, what can come to you at what point. I had never been lucky like this either!

Pixie - If it was something really expensive, God alone knows what i would have done, I would just like to believe that I would have given it. The GP believes, if it comes to us, God has sent it our way, and we must not refuse it, and that too makes sense to me.....

Sraikh said...

Like I said,
I dont know. if its a huge amount,I like to think I wouldnt be tempted and will return to original owner

MRC said...

GM

hmmmm.... maybe a lot of us can.Not to sound all moral high groundish, but though I've never actually found a 2 rupee coin on the road ,I'd like to think that if I did, I would do my best to return it or if I cant then drop it in a donation box somewhere....like you did with the chain :)

About 15th July, YES :D

D said...

I wouldn't keep anything that's not mine because I think other people's things come with their vibes and I can never be sure if those vibes are worth having.

Also, I believe that there's an account of everything you give and take in life. You will have to return, in this life or the next, what is rightfully not yours. Why get into that cycle?!

Passionate Goof said...


Sraikh - Exactly my thinking, will know only if I am faced with the situation.

MRC - I remember picking one up when I was in school, and had kulfi with it. ;) So I am definitely not on the high ground. :P But today, I think I will return it.

D - Oh! I so believe in vibes too, and that is the only reason I think twice before thrift shopping, but then if I want something that my heart beats for, I can rarely stop myself.

Rakesh said...

Just an alternate possibility...

Do you think you first wrote the post and then no matter how lazy you felt, you still made the effort to go and drop it so that you could publish this post. Maybe if you hadn't written about it, you'd just throw it away or let it lie around? :D he he...

And I bet if it was gold/diamond, the lady that you called would've claimed it as hers, so the problem wouldn't have been yours :)

I guess, if we know who the thing belongs to, we would be more likely to return it to it's rightful owner but if we do not know who it belongs to, then it becomes difficult to give it away to charity so you deserve the halo completely !

Passionate Goof said...


Rakesh - I would have dropped it in for sure, just that had I not been waiting to blow my own trumpet, by publishing this post, it might not have happened till this weekend or the next.
And thanks!

Piper .. said...

I dont think I would have taken the effort to go and give it to red cross. I`m actually stunned you thought of it and even did it. BUt then knowing you, I wouldnt expect any less :):) Yet another reason why I so like you, my friend :)

Reflections said...

Interesting read!!!!!
And I agree with D:-).