Karma?

[moodyskydiver 0]

Heres my story:

I spent today taking my grandmother Christmas shopping b/c she doesnt get around very well anymore. She mostly just sat in the food court while I ran up and down the mall buying gifts for my mom and dad,sister,her hubby and 4 kids. After 4 hours of nonstop shopping I got to go my grandmother's house and wrap all of the gifts which took another 3 1/2 hours.

On my way home I got a call from a friend of mine who was upset and wanted to know if I'd come over and share a beer.No problem. Well,I found out my friend(who is a single mother of 2) lost her job this past week and was so depressed b/c she had nothing to buy her kids Christmas gifts with. So I give her a hug and tell her things will be ok,She has no family. all the while feeling guilty at the amount of money I had spent on my own family just a few hours earlier. So I had my friend write down clothing sizes for the kids,and ask them what they thought Santa would bring them this year. So at 8 pm I found myself heading back to the malls again to help my friend. Now, after spending $200 I really didnt have trying to help a distressed mother and 2 kids get their Christmas wish,I sit in a sea of wrapping paper,tape in my hair and a bow stuck to my butt. If the winds are too high tomorrow for me to make a jump then I'll be back in the malls again helping my mom and sister with their Christmas shopping.

I've had an unbelieveably shitty year and no one will be happier than I am to see the end of 2002. Even though this year has been horrible,I've made wonderful,interesting new friends and become part of a great sport that I am dearly in love with. One thing after another went wrong this year, but somehow I became fortunate enough to have the opportunity to be able to buy new custom gear for my first rig.


So I'm curious.Do you believe in Karma? "Pay it forward" type situations?

"...just an earthbound misfit, I."

[rgoper 0]

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So I'm curious.Do you believe in Karma?

definitely. it does exists. i believe in "good out, good back. bad out bad back" ying/yang theory.

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"Pay it forward" type situations?

i'm not sure what you mean by this. but i'll say i help everyone i can, but never "expect" something back. this takes away from the "spirit" of giving. i have been blessed with a wonderful career, which allows me to live well, so i am always there if someone needs me, then i help however i can.

wishing you the best, always. take care, be safe. happy holidays, and "Cheers!"

--Richard--
"We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

[quatorze 1]

pay it forward is about the same as karma, but not exactly, I do something nice for you, you turn that kindness around and send it onto others, repay me by doing good for others. There is movie out about it, Helen "Hottie" Hunt and the Kid from AI/Sixth Sense his name is one of those three name names (like Jennifer Love Hewitt et al), not a bad movie at all

I'm not afriad of dying, I'm afraid of never really living- Erin Engle

[FreeFlyHol 0]

Karma, energy, whatever you call it...yes, it's everywhere. I believe as long as the intention is there and the intention is love...expect nothing but an abundance of that in return.

Lots of love to you and all the dz.com family. Happy holidays kids.

x's and o's,

Hol :)

When cheese gets its picture taken, what does it say?

[VectorBoy 0]

I don't know about Karma much but babe for what you did you rock! You are going to to have a righteous next year! Thats a lawfull order !!!!! Please be kind and post some pics of it. Glen.

[newshooter12 0]

A lot of people would just walk away or expect someone else to take care of those things. You stepped up to the plate and proved to be the bettter person.
I just feel good, that warm & fuzzy feeling without the beer, when I can help someone. That's reward enough for me. matt

[Michele 1]

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I just feel good, that warm & fuzzy feeling without the beer, when I can help someone. That's reward enough for me.

Karma is "payback" (you reap what you sow), and "paying it forward" is a forward action, thus creating (sowing) something for the future, imho.

I think that just doing something for someone else, whether they know it's me doing it or not, is reward enough. And it doesn't take $$ to do it. It's as simple as holding a door for a mother with a stroller; letting another car merge ahead of you (what's the rush, anyway???), reaching something on the top shelf for someone at the market. It's stepping out of an "I" orientation to a "you" orientation that creates (sows) the action. It's lending an ear to someone, lending a shoulder to someone...it's sending a little note to say "Hi, thinking of you" or "You rawk; just wanted to tell you that!" It's nothing big, sometimes, which makes all the difference to the person you've helped, and the easing of their burden, in whole or in part, is what makes the difference.

And doing it without thought of payback or remuneration or even thanks at times...that's when you know you've made the shift. When you've done something for someone and not allowed a way of payback... sending anonymous donations to charity; sticking a toy in the Toys For Tots bin...handing your spare change over to the bell ringer outside the store...man, that's the best feeling in the world.

I have 2 journals I keep - the "Blessings" journal, and the Pay It Forward journal. Each night, I list five things in each. Did I do 5 things for others during the day? Can I count 5 things as blessings? If not, then I am focussing far too much on my sorrow and pain, on myself, and not outside of me, which is where the world is - outside. And if not, then I make a better effort at it during the next day.

Just my .02...

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[DZBone 0]

Amber, you've made all of us feel a little better, just knowing there are people like you in the world.

Dammit, this is what the season is supposed to be about, not all that commercialism! Very cool.

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and a bow stuck to my butt

And that image is just the icing on the cake!

_________________________________________________
If you hadn't read this, would it have made a sound?

[DZBone 0]

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It's as simple as holding a door for a mother with a stroller; letting another car merge ahead of you (what's the rush, anyway???), reaching something on the top shelf for someone at the market.

Calling a friend you haven't spoken to in a year (collect)...

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If you hadn't read this, would it have made a sound?

[Michele 1]

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Calling a friend you haven't spoken to in a year (collect)...

Shit. Done it again, did I? Shit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[moodyskydiver 0]

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and the Kid from AI/Sixth Sense his name is one of those three name names

I believe his name is Haley Joel Osment. (I think...correct me if I'm wrong)

"...just an earthbound misfit, I."

[moodyskydiver 0]

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Please be kind and post some pics of it

Pics of my new rig? Sorry,no can do.I just ordered it Monday.It wont be in til around the 3rd week of Jan.But I'll be sure to post em when it finally arrives.

"...just an earthbound misfit, I."

[moodyskydiver 0]

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Amber, you've made all of us feel a little better, just knowing there are people like you in the world.

Dammit, this is what the season is supposed to be about, not all that commercialism! Very cool.

Its not that big of a deal really.I just felt bad for my friend and her kids.I'd want her to do the same if ever I fell into that situation. I'd hope all of you would do the same too if you happened to end up in my situation.*shrug*

"...just an earthbound misfit, I."

[Squeak 17]

my Karma just ran over your Dogma


Karma only works if your intentions are alturistic. If you do good for someone and expect or hope good will befal you it probably won't, selflessness is the key

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[Tonto 1]

Karma exsists without a doubt, but not always forward. First question that sprung to mind was whether your single mother chom was a skydiver. Second is that you may have been BAD in a previous life, and so are doomed to do christmas shopping for others.

I don't think you could be too bad though, as skydiving is a treat that can only be reserved for those who were really good in their former lives.

Over the last many, many years, I've met so many special people. I'm at the point now where the only people I choose to spend time with are my family, and my skydiving choms. That has to be good Karma.

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t

"Throw me to the wolves because there's order in the pack. Throw me to the sky because I know I'm coming back."

It's the year of the Pig.

[suz 0]

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I've had an unbelieveably shitty year and no one will be happier than I am to see the end of 2002.

Wanna make a bet?

Don't bother me, I'm living happily ever after

[LouDiamond 1]

Hey Suz, that's a really great ICON but in all fairness I think you should pass that one over to our one and only Mouth(lisa) the graphic is balls on accurate LOL

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[goose491 0]

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my Karma just ran over your Dogma

What he said (check the sig )

Way to go Moody! Nice to know there are folks like you out there!

My Karma ran over my Dogma!!!

[JeffGordon 0]

Yea. And think of the good karma that would generate!!

[pds 0]

let's cut to the chase, cutie.

how does it make you feel right now?

namaste, motherfucker.

[Mindcake 0]

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Karma only works if your intentions are alturistic. If you do good for someone and expect or hope good will befal you it probably won't, selflessness is the key

You got it Squeak, you just have to do nice things because you want to do them, because they are right, not for some future reward or as a payback.

Jim

Don´t belive the hype

[Deuce 1]

Sounds like you wanted to do something nice, and don't expect anything in return. This year isn't over, and that act goes in the "good" column.

I don't believe in random acts of kindness. I believe kindness is something that must be worked on constantly and diligently. What a kind day you had! At every junction where you had to choose, you chose to do the right thing, even when the easy thing would be to take a nap, or say that helping your Nana was all the kindness that could reasonably be expected out of you, you sucked it up and were kind.

I call those more difficult acts of kindness "bricks in my house in heaven", kinda jokingly. As in "the weather's perfect and I could video 4 tandems, but I'm supposed to go see my kids sing for 5 minutes in a play, and that operation will take all day. I better have a nice d*mn house when I get to heaven!"

Nicely done. And I like the bow on the butt picture too. Is it a gift?

[diablopilot 2]

Karma is for real. (In my world anyway!)

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and a bow stuck to my butt.

And I'll probably end up having bad Karma for thinking about that!

Blue Skies,
-jp-

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Iflyme 0]

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Do you believe in Karma?

ahhhh ... NO! Shit happens. Good things happen. My friend's sister and her new husband were in that bar in Bali when terrorists detonated two bombs, killing 2 hundred people. Nothing more than a coincidence. I think it's great that you care enough to help out your granmother and your friend. That is a good thing. But I do not believe in "karma".

[wmw999 2,587]

I believe you should do the right thing because it's right. Sometimes good things happen to you. But if you believe too much in Karma, you read into things past errors and good things you've done.

Now consequences, either good or bad, are a whole different thing. If you hit someone's dog and leave the scene, expect him to come bust your ass when his neighbor gives him the license number. And when you help someone, they might help you back.

And if you're generally a nice person, and come off that way, well, I think more people give you the benefit of the doubt.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)