Free or not free, that is the question.

 Honesty may be the best policy but it's not always the easiest. 

   It all started with a trip to Costco. Terry and I decided to go grocery shopping and have dinner out. This is usually how our date nights go, most often it's a trip to Home Depot but this time we hit our favorite big box store.

   As we entered the store we were met by a very charming and energetic salesman pushing the latest in a bluetooth sound systems. Being a sucker for a good deal, I had Terry load the giant speaker in our basket and we were off to finish our shopping. I have to admit the whole time we shopped I really wanted to unload the behemoth and abandon it slyly in some unpopulated aisle, people do it all the time right? 

   Well we made to check out and then through the guards that frisk your receipt and make sure you are an honest shopper. When we finally arrived home Terry had me check the receipt to see if they gave us the discount on the player and to my surprise they sure did, in fact they didn't charge us at all. 

   At first I was elated, it seemed I just got a free fancy schmancy system compliments of Costco. Then it hit, I felt like a thief. Why oh why did he have me look at the stupid receipt?! 

I have to admit that it took me a couple of hours of justifying and arguing with my conscience before deciding it needed to be returned. It seemed like fate had briefly smiled on us but I just couldn't smile back. It sat, unopened, in the corner of my dining room and snickered at me everytime I walked by. I really started to hate the thing and this was only after a few hours.
   When I called Costco and explained what happened they couldn't believe I actually called them. Secretly I was hoping that they would say "oh Mrs. Lovenburg it was our mistake, we won't make you drive the thirty miles back to our store and return it. Enjoy your new sound system." Nope, thats not what happened, as a matter of fact when I returned it I found that they had charged me for two items I didn't actually buy and the lady walked me out to my car to sort through my groceries and make sure they really weren't there. I know, I know, it's policy but I did have to laugh and remind her that I just voluntarily returned something worth one hundred and fifty dollars out of the goodness of my heart. 

   I felt good driving home, no more guilt looming over my head. Two weeks later I got the deal of the century, I bought exactly what I wanted from a friend for fifteen bucks and the best thing of all is I can enjoy my music without guilt or justification.

   I know this probably sounds crazy to some but, I love freedom. Guilt can be like a vice that squeezes the joy out of everything you do.

Proverbs 16:8 says, "Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice."  

Proverbs 3:27 says, "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it,when it is in your power to act."

It even comes with a remote.
The earplugs are for the sounds I don,t want to hear. (Ahem, Terry)