I'm a Good Person

Dunno if it's considered mocking or not, but on occasion, if I'm in an express checkout line (the one with the sign that says "20 items or less"), and the idiot in front of me has damn near a whole grocery cart full of stuff, I will casually remark to the person behind me (holding only one or two items like I am), that it's amazing how many people didn't learn to count in grade school.

The person with the grocery cart full ahead of me will look embarrassed or shoot me a dirty look, but I've yet to have anyone confront me for my snarky comment.

The people behind me will softly agree or chuckle, as they usually feel the same as myself.

Sometimes though, there is a person in line who thinks just like I do, and we end up having a nice conversation that starts off with people being unable to count, then it usually diverges into other stupid behavior that each of us have seen others do.
 
Eighteen months ago, I saw a family of eight nearby at our outdoor tables near restaurants where we go every morning after tennis. They were obviously from India, so I started over. My dear Vietnamese friends said, "Leave them alone John. Don't bother them!"

Are you talkin' to me? Are you talkin' to me!

At their table:

"I have traveled the world and been to many countries so I know this family is from Ireland."
They laughed heartily.
Then I put my hands together as if in prayer: "Namaste."
Instant friendship. Instant.
"Satyameva jayate." This is the national motto of India, meaning "Truth always prevails."
Now we're tight.

"Did you know that Miss Universe is also Miss India?"
No, they did not.

"Now let me guess what city you are from."
My wife and I saw "Last Train to Chennai" years ago so just for fun I guessed "Chennai?"


"We are from Chennai!" they exclaimed excitedly. Tell me they didn't have fun with me, formerly a stranger.
I took their photograph and a week later, noticed three Indian girls in the post office. I told them my story and they said, "We are from Chennai!"

Months later there were five or six Indian men at our same outdoor tables. "We are from Chennai!"

Big city, I tell ya.

Now when I go to talk to strangers, my tennis buddies don't bug me. They know better.
You'll get better at this with practice. I have been doing it for thirty years.

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This very morning, I saw three young Asian ladies just a few tables down from this one. I approached them to tell them my Indian Tale and make them smile. Of course it worked like a charm. We were all entertained.

Then I said, "Let me guess. Are you from Tokyo?"

"Yes we are," they replied. And then I gave them each one of my cards and showed them my book.

Card.jpg

How often does someone tell you a fun story and then show you his newly published inspirational science book?

Tokyo Girls May 22, 2023.jpg
 
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This very morning, I saw three young Asian ladies just a few tables down from this one. I approached them to tell them my Indian Tale and make them smile. Of course it worked like a charm. We were all entertained.

Then I said, "Let me guess. Are you from Tokyo?"

"Yes we are," they replied. And then I gave them each one of my cards and showed them my book. How often does someone tell you a fun story and then show you his newly published inspirational science book?
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I can always spot Japanese by their manners and demeanor, but pinpointing the city or prefecture is good!

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I can always spot Japanese by their manners and demeanor, but pinpointing the city or prefecture is good!

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Here is my best tip for you, Friend. I usually guess the capital city of a country I think the immigrant is from for two or three reasons.
1. It's always large.
2. It is the most likely to have an American embassy where they can apply for papers to come here.
3. It's usually the easiest city to remember, so....

Notable exception is India because it has so many big cities. I have scored with Mumbai, Chennai, New Delhi and others I can't even remember.

Last week I met Ashram and said "Teheran?" Of course.

At Costco, three men from the same company were having lunch when we joined them.
Far left fellow resembled the Shah of Iran. "Teheran"? Yes, Huge fellow sitting across from me put his fist out for a bump.
"Where am I from?" he queried. "Sow-Moa."
Fist bump.
Third colleague on my right: "How about me?"
"Yours is tougher."
"I'll give you a hint. I'm from the middle east."
"I know that. Egypt?"
Fist bump.

This is what a Sow Moan looks like:
I guessed him correctly as well. Huge, tats.

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In reality none of us are "Good". Just ask Jesus. He paid a hefty price on our behalf because of this. The great thing, I don't have to be good, but am still forgiven. But I do my best as commanded, but admit I fall short at times.
 
A small beetle was crawling on my desk. I got it to crawl on a piece of paper and put it outside instead of killing it.
 
In reality none of us are "Good". Just ask Jesus. He paid a hefty price on our behalf because of this. The great thing, I don't have to be good, but am still forgiven. But I do my best as commanded, but admit I fall short at times.

"Good" is a relative term. Learn that. If NOBODY IS GOOD, then why should anybody even try.

I play tennis daily and I hit a lot of "good" shots.
I do "good deeds" daily by picking up litter wherever I go, by engaging strangers with kindness, by preventing accidents when I notify drivers that they have a brake light burned out, by notifying the city of work that needs to be done, most importantly safety hazards which might kill someone.
Many of us do a great deal of good, and Jesus does not speak aloud in response to our actions.
But this is for you:

"Let us not grow weary in well doing for we shall reap in due season if we faint not."

"Inasmuch as ye have done it to these the least of my children, ye have done it unto me."

"Give and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down and shaken together and running over, for with the same measure ye mete withal, it shall be measured unto you."

I was board member of my community for eight years, during which time I led the way in reducing our quarterly assessments and costs. Net savings since I was first elected are $1,200,000 and they continue to increase without limit. Ordering the water district to downsize six water meters in our greenbelts will continue to save hundreds every month, forever. Changing the classification of our gas bill to heat the clubhouse and pool from "commercial" to "residential" will continue to save our association hundreds of dollars every month, forever. Getting rid of the overpriced management company and gardener will do likewise, forever. The board was about to spend $10,000 to replace a broken water line as recommended by the plumber. I enlisted the gardener to make a U around the tree with our existing water line which had big roots breaking the PVC water line. It cost only $500.

While taking a walk through this extended neighborhood, one gentleman looked at me and said, "You're a good person." Hundreds of others would heartily agree with him.

I was walking to the municipal tennis courts this morning and a city employee was working on the water fountain and looked up at me and said, "Hello JJ." I have no idea who he was, but like so very many others, he knows me. I've baked cookies and delivered them to many city departments, my grocery store clerks, my bank, and the police desk.

As Winston Churchill said, "Clement Atlee is a modest man but then he has much to be modest about."
 
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I make rosaries every day and I give them to the Catholic church near me, to distribute to the poor and to patients in hospitals.


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that's excellent!

the rosary is what made me an objective Christian.

the rosary is supernatural
 
Lets see.

The family went out for dinner on Mother's Day. We had shrimp cocktail as an appetizer. My nine year old granddaughter really loves shrimp so I gave her my portion of the appetizer.

Does that count?
not if she put her grimy fingers in it first

LOL
 
I fed a squirrel
LOL

it wasn't meat, was it?

I hear all animals are carnivores, though... because even if they eat leaves and grass, there are live creatures in such that they obviously don't bother to separate out ..laugh.. worms and etc..
 
I give small amounts of $$ to the homeless on the street even if they don't ask for it. It can't be much bc I am not wealthy and I know it doesn't make a lot of difference in their lives (sigh... wish I could do that) but at least it sends them the message that some people care. I give other things besides money also. But I am feeling uncomfortable talking about it because the Bible says not to let your left hand know what the right is doing.. and such like things..

:)
 
that's excellent!

the rosary is what made me an objective Christian.

the rosary is supernatural
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Wasn't it St. Padre Pio who said "The Rosary is the weapon for these times"?

Have you every used Bishop Robert Barron's Rosary? For aspiring Catholics like myself, his brilliant explanation of each of the Mysteries before praying it really helps to clarify.

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Wasn't it St. Padre Pio who said "The Rosary is the weapon for these times"?

Have you every used Bishop Robert Barron's Rosary? For aspiring Catholics like myself, his brilliant explanation of each of the Mysteries before praying it really helps to clarify.

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well, I tend to think of Barron as being.. maybe a CINO.. Catholic in name only or something.. but that's not to say I know a lot about him... I am pretty sure he is novus ordo

and I am not... so there's that.. Anyway, maybe what he says about the rosary is kosher... God knows..
 
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I tend to give them food instead, especially easy since I'm usually running into them near where I'm grocery shopping.

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i do that also. I just like to give them something to show they are not worthless to at least some people.. the homeless are hated by everyone, it seems... sad
 

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