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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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May 25, 2010 - 11:50am PT
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I hope to be the person my dog thinks I already am.
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TwistedCrank
climber
Ideeho-dee-do-dah-day boom-chicka-boom-chicka-boom
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May 25, 2010 - 11:50am PT
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Like climbing, if you have to ask the question, then you won't understand the answer.
Paradoxes. Feck yeah. I love em.
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Brian
climber
California
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May 25, 2010 - 11:53am PT
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I hate New Year's resolutions because I don't see why, if you found something about yourself that you thought needed changing, you would wait until January 1 to do something about it.
Nevertheless, I remembered this little cartoon from years back and dug it up on the interweb. Maybe it'll give some of you all a little chuckle as well.
Brian
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wbw
climber
'cross the great divide
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May 25, 2010 - 11:53am PT
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"If you have to ask the question, the answer is probably no."
Or, maybe if you don't occassionally ask yourself the question you're arrogant and clueless.
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Beatrix Kiddo
Mountain climber
ColoRADo
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May 25, 2010 - 12:38pm PT
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I'm a good person but I'm NO DOORMAT!
I feel much better. :-)
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High Fructose Corn Spirit
Gym climber
Full Silos of Iowa
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May 25, 2010 - 01:49pm PT
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Nice piece, Cragman.
BTW: If one is running Mozilla, you can save it to your cpt by going to Tools, Page Info, Media, selecting the .swf file, and then the Save As in the button.
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Sport climber
Will know soon
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May 25, 2010 - 02:21pm PT
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johntp, take it from lynnie.....you are a splendid dude ! :D none of us are inherently perfect or even good. that's why my best friend is jesus.
and john, i know from experience when we face huge life changes like loss of a loved one, health, a career, finances, etc. one begins to re evaluate their life and ask themselves some serious questions. like you are now. i know i sure did. it is normal and it is healthy.
my mantra became and still is.....live a day at a time, a step at a time, with peace, patience and perseverance.
you are at a crossroad. this can be an opportunity for incredible growth as a human on this great planet, a time of learning and stretching your boundaries far beyond what you have known or thought you were capable of.
there is a cool verse in the bible that talks about wine being poured from vessel to vessel because if it weren't it would take on the taste of the bitter lees that sink to the bottom. when we humans are poured it can be uncomfortable, but keeps us from becoming "two buck chuck" and turns us into the best any vitner has to offer. much love and prayers from lynne
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rectorsquid
climber
Lake Tahoe
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May 25, 2010 - 03:16pm PT
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To hard to know what is good and what is not good. Is killing bad guys good? It's an old question but would going back in time and killing Hitler be good? Hell if I know. Things might work out even worse after doing that little good deed. Following the word of God might be considered good but which God? being nice might even be bad for the human species even if it feels good. I would hate to find out that I was responsible for the extinction of humans because I helped the world be a better place to live for a short time.
The only thing I know is that being a jerk makes me feel bad. I still do it but I think that it is never a good thing since I seldom save babies from burning buildings by being an ass.
If you guys on the forums ever figure out what is good and what is not good, let me know.
Dave
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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May 25, 2010 - 05:10pm PT
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We've all done good, no doubt, and are completely unaware as to the exact instances. Sure, one can donate time, goods, money and "call it all good," but there's more to life than that.
My most poignant proof that I "have helped" (at least one person)happened several years ago. I was doing an "Artist's Way" workshop and at lunchtime we were all in the cafeteria section of the venue, having brought lunches or purchased from their offerings.
I had gone to the place alone, and I reeeally hate being a single unit in such circumstances. But, I needed to eat, and so I sat down at the nearest table with an open spot. After asking permission to join the table, we all began chatting, mostly about the workshop(which was excellent - Thanks Julia!).
Somehow the topic of conversation turned to alcoholism, and I outed myself as a recovering alcoholic. I probably had about 4 years sober at the time.
We spoke a but obout recovery and the conversation moved on to other topics, and that was that. Or so I thought.
About two years later I was doing a speaking commitment(where we tell our story) at a meeting on the Upper West Side. After the meeting, a woman came up to me and said "You may not remember me, but you saved my life. And I mean, literally."
Well, I didn't remember her, and I said so. She told me that she had been sitting at that dining room table as I spoke about sobriety. She had been to AA before, but it didn't stick, and her decline had continued. In the days before that workshop, she had about come to her wit's end in desperation and had been seriously considering suicide as an option. She'd told herself she'd try the Artist Way w/shop, and see if it somehow helped, since she was a creative type.
When she heard me telling my AA experience, she was reminded about AA(she hadn't considered it as a helpful alternative to suicide.... But something about what I was saying told her it could be different if she returned, she said. Which she did. She hugged me, in tears, as she told me she had just celebrated her 2nd year sober.
Had I not happened across that woman, I'd never know that my small bit of conversation had such an impact on another. I do not think I am unique in this way. We ALL carry a light which can lead the way for others in need. It's very likely that, unless one has never reached out in any way to another, they too have had impacts on others that are very powerful.
If anyone DOES question whether they have "done anything good," they can start today. Here's what I do: smile at babies(and their attending people), hold the door for others(without waiting for the "thank you"), move out of the way for people with cumbersome burdens or physical limitations, ask people who look like they could use help if they need help.
I believe that doing these simple things has been the key that has brought me a magical life beyond anything I ever thought possible until only pretty recently. Sure, it isn't easy, because when you DO commit to being of service, the universe hands you projects. Mostly they're pretty manageable, and usually pretty mundane. But once in a while you get thrown an interesting one.... You can always choose to say "no" when the project presents itself, and sometimes you don't even notice it was there because you weren't paying attention, but it's generally a good idea to accept the assignment and offer the assistance....
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Binks
climber
Uranus
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May 25, 2010 - 05:25pm PT
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Good for what? I'm good for some things, sometimes. Asking whether you are in some general sense "good"? Forget that, it makes no sense. Ask instead what are you "good at", what are you "good for". That moves it into the present tense.
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nutjob
Trad climber
Berkeley, CA
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May 25, 2010 - 06:57pm PT
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Johntp, sounds like you're one beautiful sunset away from being at peace. Soak it up man, and enjoy.
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MisterE
Social climber
Across Town From Easy Street
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May 25, 2010 - 07:06pm PT
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Wow, pissed some people off with my comment.
If you have done good things in your life - helped others, been loving, honest and virtuous - why would you ask the question?
If anything, it should be a statement: I am a good person! That reinforces positive thinking, and reminds one of the import of being "a good person".
The question itself is indicative of being something less than "a good person", calling into question an element that should be a natural part of being a complete being.
I really didn't mean to diss the OP, just saying in a short manner the above^^
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the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
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May 25, 2010 - 07:23pm PT
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yup....
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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May 25, 2010 - 07:29pm PT
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To me it's pretty clear that if you ponder these questions, you're definitely a good-type person. Why else would you ponder this stuff if you were selfish and self-absorbed?
We all do regretful things in our youth, some things worse than others, but as we grow older and see the way things are and learn, I believe that most of us become more caring and thoughtful of others.
I should also add I've witnessed those that appear to do good to make them selves feel better about themselves, and there are those that do good because it just feels like the right thing to do and it comes rather selflessly.
Hang in there, johntp, you sound like one of the 'good guys'....
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scuffy b
climber
Where only the cracks are dry
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May 25, 2010 - 07:35pm PT
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Most of us have doubts, Erik, at least some of the time.
We're trying to be supportive of John.
I ask myself about this quite frequently.
If I had your reply in my heart, I probably would not
have made it this far.
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MisterE
Social climber
Across Town From Easy Street
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May 25, 2010 - 08:30pm PT
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I guess an apology is in order, then. Sorry.
I have never asked myself this question - I hold it sacrosanct in my heart.
Good for you, John - asking an important question. I apologize for my abruptness.
Erik Wolfe
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Klimmer
Mountain climber
San Diego
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May 25, 2010 - 08:39pm PT
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Matthew 19:16,17 (KJV)
[16] And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
[17] And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
None of us are good. We all screw up. But there are elements in each of us that are good. And through grace we can move toward goodness and be more perfect. It takes a life time though.
Give yourself a break and seek the goodness of GOD and then his goodness will be expressed in you.
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MisterE
Social climber
Across Town From Easy Street
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May 25, 2010 - 08:41pm PT
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Yeah, go ahead and live your life of subservience to your beliefs, fear and reaction.
Good luck with that.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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May 25, 2010 - 08:42pm PT
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At least he attempts to be a good person, Eric, in the eyes of God. Some do it other ways, but give him some credit for sticking to his guns on humanity.
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habitat
climber
grass pass
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May 25, 2010 - 08:44pm PT
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We shall do so much in the years to come
But what have we done today?
We shall give our gold in a princely sum
But what did we give today?
We shall give to each lonely life a smile
But on whom have we smiled today?
We shall be so kind in the after awhile
But have we been kind today?
Oh 'tis vain in our idle dreams to bask
For here and now we do our task!
And this is the word our souls must ask:
What have I done today?
--Nixon Waterman
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