Central to Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism, the law of Karma suggests all living creatures are responsible for their Karma or the collective sum of all behavior a being has done. Literally meaning "the fruits of action," Karma is the complete cycle of "cause and effect" whose deeds create past, present and future experiences. Those adhering to Karma see themselves as responsible for their own behavior and the pain or joy that behavior brings to others.
In the 24 years my wife and I have known one another, I've always struggled with her general method of disposing chewing gum. Though, to her defense, she is typically quite good about throwing it into hedges, bushes or flowerbeds where it will likely never be detected by another human until it realizes its "half-life" and disappears into the crust of the earth, still I've never been comfortable with disposing of chewing gum anywhere but in a trash can.
My sweet wife has always defended her practice and I've always complained about it because I have a frustrating habit of stepping on "improperly" disposed chewing gum. I've always contended that I'm reaping her bad "Karma" because she refuses to dispose of her gum where someone will most assuredly never contact it. She typically replies, "Get over it!" Or "watch where you're stepping." She rarely steps in gum. But my point is I rarely find my foot in the bottom of a trash can, but I do seem to step in gum with obnoxious regularity!
Recently, I've admitted to giving in to my spouse's disposal preferences -- I guess to see how the "other half" lives. In the past week or so, I've thrown my discarded gum into a hedge, a patch of ground covering and once, out the window on the freeway at about 70 mph. Well... last night, walking through the parking garage of a high-end business tower downtown, I stepped into a sticky "executive" wad of gum. Now... who's "karma" am I reaping this time? I don't know! The "executive's," my wife's, I don't pretend to know. That is a mystery! But one thing I do know is, I'm giving up...
Forget "Karma"... I'm going to stick (pardon the pun) with the words of Jesus, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" (Matt. 7:12).
From now on, I'm throwing my gum away in the trash can! If everyone else does the same thing... I'll never have to worry about stepping in gum again! I've seen interesting collections of discarded gum under tables and chairs the world over. Is that better or worse? At least another person doesn't step in it!
Where does your discarded gum wind up? Let me know because I'm fairly certain to find it!
1 comment:
I'm on the same page as your wife, my gum ends up in the bushes, hedges or flowerbeds. So unless you're in the mood to walk in the middle of some "shhrrruubery!" (as Monty Python would say) I think you're safe :)
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