Paying Forward

In Southern California, it seems every street corner has  a bereft looking person holding a sign.  "Will work for food".  "Will work for rent".  Homeless Veteran need food".  Sadly, in the midst of legitimate suffering are those who actually prey on peoples' sensitive nature for a living.  They're easy to spot, after awhile.  They're the aggressive ones, the in-your-face-gimme-money kind.  Many of them look well fed.  There are no vacant gazes, no blind stares.  Every once in awhile I see one with a cell phone to his ear as he stands there wanting us to believe he's in need.

It took me awhile to figure out most of those people weren't really destitute.  They had fashioned a job out of begging.  Some of them probably make more money than I do at their chosen occupation.

Then there are the ones who truly are bereft. 

There was a man sitting outside my local 7-eleven the other day.  Just sitting.  Head leaning back, a small smile on his face, eyes closed, enjoying the sunshine on our first really warm day in ages.  A rusted bicycle was next to him.  There hung from the handlebars two bags.  One had clothing in it, the other held empty soda cans destined for the recycler.

He wasn't begging.  Wasn't disturbing anyone.  Just enjoying a fine day.  He  was ageless in the way that homeless people usually are.  Skin like leather from being in the sun all day, every day.  Sun-bleached blond hair hanging in his eyes.  Streaks of clean on his mostly dirty face, as if he had tried his best to make himself presentable.

I went into the store for whatever it was I was buying.  Can't remember.  Did some small calculations in my mind to think about what my little bank balance was.  And on a whim got $5 cash back when I paid with my debit card.

The look on his face when I handed him that $5 paid me back in triplicate.  He gave me the biggest, warmest, most sincere smile I had seen in awhile, stood up slowly, shook my hand, and said simply, "Thank you.  Many blessings to you".

We talked for a minute.  He was full of hope about a job that had been promised to him.  He insisted his current situation was only temporary.  I could see he was eager to find a use for his new-found wealth so I said goodbye and wished him well.

I got in my car and started it up to head home to the roof over my head and all of my accumulated "stuff".  He headed into 7-eleven for a hotdog.

Small things make us happy.  I think that's the best $5 I've spent in awhile.

Herodotus Had Some Of It Right

Some men give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal; While others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than ever before. - Herodotus

Ok, so I'm reading Herodotus's The Histories right now.  It's a massive undertaking and I'm only about half way through.

It's the first ever written history, produced painstakingly on about 300 feet of parchment in the 5th century B.C.  There's some question whether Herodotus actually saw everything he reported, or whether he trusted a little too often in the stories of others.  His accuracy more often than not is held under close scrutiny.  So silly.  He wrote about his time.  Unless later scholars were actually there, I'm prone to have more faith in Herodotus!

Herodotus was a man who knew what he wanted to do and saw it through till the end.

I aspire to that, though I'm sometimes easily distracted.  I have a great deal of respect for men and women who exert great effort and win the war.

Today I was reminded just how much I respect people who have what it takes to follow through.

The Bonanzle marketplace (www.Bonanzle.com) is full of many who try.  Online sales is fraught with challenges and is just plain hard work. Some are more successful than others, and I think the reasons have less to do with what they sell than it does with how they approach the process.

I have two friends there who are following well designed paths to success.  And they're doing it with humor, humility and great enthusiasm.  They're doing it day by day, gaining greater ground, and at the same time exerting great effort to help others, each in their own way.  They are what I aspire to be, not because of their success but because of the paths and methods they've chosen to reach that success. 

I won't share their personal stories because it's not my place.  I'll just say that when Herodotus said "It is better by noble boldness to run the risk of being subject to half of the evils we anticipate than to remain in cowardly listlessness for fear of what might happen" he must have had people like my friends in mind.  They are nobly bold and I am a richer person for being able to call them friends.

www.bonanzle.com/LouieTheSeller
www.bonanzle.com/AntiquesRGreat

Differences of Opinion .... Or, How Do You Promote Your Business?

I've come under a bit of criticism lately from some people who think they're doing me a favor.  And after all, a little "constructive criticism" isn't a bad thing, even when it comes sneaking in unsolicited.

The thing is, though, that it doesn't FEEL constructive.

I don't feel the need to beat people over the head with my business.  Is that a bad thing?   I use this blog, and Facebook, and Buzz, and Twitter mostly to connect.  And yeah, I throw in an occasional plug for my business, because that's what I do.  I sell stuff.  I sell some pretty cool stuff, actually.   But that's not who I AM, and I'd rather be who I am and make a few less sales if that's the way it's got to be.

I tend to unfollow and unfriend people who are in my face all day about their stuff.  It feels like junk mail in a social context, kind of like an insurance salesman following me around at a cocktail party telling me why I need to  BUY!  BUY! And I don't like it.  So it would be hypocritical of me to turn around and do the same thing, yes?

Everyone has their own way of doing things.  I enjoy that uniqueness and seek out the company of others who share my belief that there's more than one way to get things done.  Maybe my way doesn't suit some, and I'm ok with that.

I just wish THEY could be okay with the fact that their way doesn't suit me.

In the mean time, I'll just keep on doing what I'm doing.  Maybe to some it's not the BEST way, but hey, it works for me.

And if you'd like to take a look at some of my stuff, check out the widgets on the right of the page :)  See, I DO know how to promote, in my own way.