IF THIS DOESN’T MOTIVATE YOU, NOTHING WILL

Canadian Man Finds 1.75 Million Lottery Ticket in Old Jacket Newsweek, U.S. Section 10/7/2018 by Tom Porter at 9:40AM.  IF THIS DOESN’T MOTIVATE YOU TO DECLUTTER, NOTHING WILL.

“A Canadian man made a life-changing discovery when cleaning out his closet.

Gregorio De Santis of Montreal was getting ready to take some clothes from the closet to a donation center when he checked the pockets of an old jacket….”

Now, there’s an old Yiddish (and maybe really a NEW YORK CITY) joke, which I’m telling very badly.

“Noam goes to synagogue and offers the following prayer to Yahweh (God)

‘Yahweh, I’ve been a faithful, an observant Jew all my life. I go to synagogue. I’m a good neighbor, boss, son, husband, and father: I don’t cheat, I don’t lie, I give of my time and my money to those in need. But Yahweh, I’m in some trouble myself now. I could use some help. Let me win the lottery, Lord.’

And Noam goes home, and doesn’t win the lottery. The next day, Noam goes back to synagogue, and fervently, reverently repeats his prayers. And Noam goes home, and doesn’t win the lottery. This goes on for several days.

A last day, Noam goes to synagogue, and in some despair asks Yahweh for help once again, and wonders if his God isn’t listening. And a BOOMING voice roars out ‘SCHMUCK (“a foolish or contemptible person”), BUY A TICKET.'”

I’ve always taken that to mean, “God helps those who help themselves.” And wow, according to Wikipedia, that expression goes back to Aesop’s Fables! But maybe not by buying a lottery ticket, given your true odds of a jackpot. Clearing out the closet, on the other hand, never wastes anything.