kcm
Gold Member
Skippy wrote, " For some it's all or nothing, and if not only haven't attempted repeatedly to find an owner, and are declaring publicly that you're attempting a return, they'll flog you and insinuate you're a bad person. At the other end, I've seen posts of self-professed "pirates" who far cross lines many of us would take, and posts of others who literally have found things dropped in store entrances and clearly not bothered to check with the store to see if someone is missing it... for them, someone lost it, they found it, all is good in the world."
I was once in a hotel restaurant in Finland. Nobody else was in there, as the person behind the counter (the hotel owner - in the slow season) had stepped out. I was sitting by a window just thinking. Then a young boy rode up on his bicycle, came in the restaurant, stretched his little body as far as he could to reach a soda in the ice bin. He then got the money from his pocket. He waited and waited, but nobody ever came in. Without hesitating, he suddenly put the money back in his pocket, replaced the soda down "into" the ice and started to leave. Then he noticed a coin on the floor. Nobody was around and he still had not seen me there - I was sorta hidden behind a post. He again stretched his little body and placed the coin on the edge of the register, then happily went on his way.
I was amazed!! I thought how wonderful it was that this little boy would be so honest. I wanted so much to find his parents and praise them for having such a good "young man" and for obviously being such good parents.
Then it hit me. ...Why was I so amazed by this small act of honesty? How is it that this young boy had stirred such feelings inside me? Then I remembered - MOST kids wouldn't have been that way when and where I grew up - maybe me included.
This was a very small town just south of the Arctic Circle. Life was simple and, for the most part, low- or no-tech (mid-90's). I'm sure things have changed in 20 years, especially as technology has shared SO MUCH of the outside, more modern world with these more-remote areas. There's a lot of trash out there - and most of it you don't have to dig for!!
So a special Thank you to ScubaDetector, Skippy and others here for not only speaking out, but for being good examples and role models of how you really can be honest and successful at the same time!!
...By the way, back then I thought that it would have been ok for the little boy to leave the money and take the soda - it appeared he had exact change. However, after thinking about it for a while, some employee might have come in, not known why the money was there and maybe things could have gotten fouled up. Or, maybe someone NOT-so-honest might come in, see the money and take it. So in hindsight, I think the little boy's actions were flawless.
I was once in a hotel restaurant in Finland. Nobody else was in there, as the person behind the counter (the hotel owner - in the slow season) had stepped out. I was sitting by a window just thinking. Then a young boy rode up on his bicycle, came in the restaurant, stretched his little body as far as he could to reach a soda in the ice bin. He then got the money from his pocket. He waited and waited, but nobody ever came in. Without hesitating, he suddenly put the money back in his pocket, replaced the soda down "into" the ice and started to leave. Then he noticed a coin on the floor. Nobody was around and he still had not seen me there - I was sorta hidden behind a post. He again stretched his little body and placed the coin on the edge of the register, then happily went on his way.
I was amazed!! I thought how wonderful it was that this little boy would be so honest. I wanted so much to find his parents and praise them for having such a good "young man" and for obviously being such good parents.
Then it hit me. ...Why was I so amazed by this small act of honesty? How is it that this young boy had stirred such feelings inside me? Then I remembered - MOST kids wouldn't have been that way when and where I grew up - maybe me included.
This was a very small town just south of the Arctic Circle. Life was simple and, for the most part, low- or no-tech (mid-90's). I'm sure things have changed in 20 years, especially as technology has shared SO MUCH of the outside, more modern world with these more-remote areas. There's a lot of trash out there - and most of it you don't have to dig for!!
So a special Thank you to ScubaDetector, Skippy and others here for not only speaking out, but for being good examples and role models of how you really can be honest and successful at the same time!!
...By the way, back then I thought that it would have been ok for the little boy to leave the money and take the soda - it appeared he had exact change. However, after thinking about it for a while, some employee might have come in, not known why the money was there and maybe things could have gotten fouled up. Or, maybe someone NOT-so-honest might come in, see the money and take it. So in hindsight, I think the little boy's actions were flawless.
Truthfully, I think the honesty and integrity thing are declining at an alarming rate. I've been working hard to teach my boys that integrity isn't always easy, but it's well worth it. Just because it seems like most EVERYONE else is willing to "deceive" or "lie by half-truth" doesn't mean that it's ok. There are so many examples in the world that suggest that because others are willing to turn a blind eye, or even participate, it's got to be hard for kids today to grow up even having an inkling of what it means to "keep your word" or understand "honor."
