After reading this article, my faith in teenagers to do the right thing - was restored. It's good to know that there are still GOOD kids out there who are unlike so many of their peers that we read about in the news!

http://tinyurl.com/ym3jtq



Lyndel

If that had been me, I hope I would have had the courage to return it. I like to think I would.

Speaking as a man who teaches teen-agers every day, I honestly believe that most of them are good hearted. If you raise a child right with love and responsibility, they know what is right and wrong.

Happy holidays to all

What ever happened to finders keepers?

Or saying did anyone lose a roll of $100 dollar bills, wrapped with an elastic? Because we found the elastic.

That is an AMAZING story! I can't even begin to IMAGINE what that poor lady was going through! Kudos to that kid!

Not all teens are bad . . . the problem is that the bad ones stick out the crowd.

What I like most about this kid is that he refused a reward and doesn't want attention for his 'good deed'....

I think his train of thought is this:

Why should I be rewarded for doing what is RIGHT? And why should I get any undo attention for it as well?

To me, this young man has a VERY good grasp on what it is to be a mature, HONEST adult...

You do the right thing, without thought of a reward or recognition.

Good job pal, you will be a GREAT member of our society...

And PLEASE, think about running for Public Office, we NEED guys like you!!

Prof. Piper
(Terry)

I'd of done the same thing. Well not exactly the same as I'd have taken the reward. Why turn down that which is freely offered?

Integrity?




Lyndel

I don't think it's a matter of Integrity, Lyndel...

More of stance on not expecting something in return for doing the right thing...

I.E.: Would you expect a reward for performing the Heimlich on a chocking patron next to you at Mickey D's?

Doing the right thing is a reward in and of itself.

Plus, never discount Karma!

Prof. Piper
(Terry)

But is expecting the same as accepting? If someone did that for you wouldn't you offer a reward? I would. If it was turned down I might feel incomplete.

I agree Prof. One should do good deeds for the sake of doing the good deed - not for something he or she may get out of it...

I think we're on the same page on this - we're just saying it a bit differently.


Lyndel

He obviously did the deed for the sake of doing good. Does accepting a gift negate that?

That was good of him to do. I think a lot of people would have done the same, returned the cash. But not a lot would have turned down the offer of a cash reward.

I can imagine the feeling of losing 24K just lik *that*. I get chills when I lose a $20 bill, lol.

Nick

I think it does, in a way. No-one would look down on you, heck, you've returned 24,000 bucks...but it can appear as though you were expecting, or really feel you deserve the reward/gift.

I think he definitely did deserve a reward though - it was very honourable of him not to accept it.

Nick

Here is an interesting point to consider...it is more blessed to give than RECEIVE, is it not? SO, it follows that when someone offers to give you something, and you refuse it, (perhaps false humility?) you are inadvertently TAKING AWAY the blessing they would have gotten from being on the giving end. That's why, when someone offers me a gift, on that eternal principal (or spiritual LAW) when someone offers me a gift from their heart, I have always made it a point to never say "Oh no! I couldn't accept that!" because I want to see THEM get blessed, and I don't want to be the person to rob them of that blessing.

I'm sure that's Payne's thinking as well. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!

(But, I do agree)

When I was a teenager I found a wallet containing several thousand dollars in cash and uncashed checks for several thousand more. The owner was obviously a migrant field worker who had just cashed out the seasons work and was heading out of town. Hic car had broken down in the parking lot in which I worked and he had set his wallet down on top of a trash can and inadvertantly left it there. I found it and returned it to him when he came looking for it latter that day. He didn't offer me a reward for finding it but if he had I would have taken it so I guess I haven't any integrity.
I did give it back to him though when I could have just as easily denied finding it so perhaps I have a little integrity.
If someone saves a family from perishing in a fire should they deny the medal they might get from a thankful city offical?

Payne...

I think what you did was an admirable act, brimming with integrity!

But then again, back then, it was expected...

I mean the 'Golden Age of America's Youth' and all...

LOL

KIDDING!

I don't think someone who accepts a freely offered reward lacks anything; I also can respect and admire the person who turns down the reward as well...

Just because, to me, doing the right thing is the reward in-and-of itself doesn't detract from anyone else...As I wrote, "What I like about this kid..."

It boils down to perception, background, upbringing, etc, ad noseum....

As for your example of a Medal, that is, again, up the individual and how they feel about recognition...

Remember the "Brady Bunch" episode where Peter saves the little girl in the Toy Shop from the falling shelf? The mother of the little girl offers him a reward and he goes crazy and ends up with most of the Toy Store being delivered to his backyard...

I think what is amazing in this particular kid is that he didn't even want to speak to the local Press about it...Especially in today's world where everything and anything kids do MUST end up on YouTube/MySpace/etc...

No matter how you slice it, this kid done good...

:xmastree:

Merry Christmas

Prof. Piper
(Terry)

Just a tidbit of information that is totally unrelated to the subject of this thread...I learned this during my CPR training and subsequently as a CPR instructor. If you offer such assistance to someone, you are NOT a member of the medical profession, and you ACCEPT some type of reward for the assistance you offered, the victim can sue you for any damages. You offer the same assistance and you do NOT accept the reward offered, they CANNOT sue you under the Good Samaritan Law (in most states). I think this law came about in the "lawsuit at the drop of a hat" society we are in and the fear of the consequences of offering assistance.


Margarette

If you give me $50 and sign this waver, I'll perform the Heimlich Maneuver on you.