Shoplifting Crisis and Sticking it to the Man

When I was 17 years old, I went to Long Island’s Roosevelt Field to hang out with Cheryl, a girl I really wanted to impress. In one store she pointed to a penknife selling for $2.25 and said, “That must cost them less than a quarter but look at the markup! We should stick it to the man and steal it. Wanting to impress Cheryl, I palmed a blue penknife and headed out the door into the warm June sunlight. Adrenaline coursed through my veins for a quick high, but I soon realized I had crossed a red line and felt bad about what I had done. That harmless penknife had punctured my soul. I was better than this! So, I slipped the stolen booty into a trashcan and never robbed again.

More than a half of a century later, I’m reading reports of other people making my same mistake, but they are stealing loot far more valuable than a penknife. According to the LAPD there has been 1503 shoplifting incidents in department stores during January and February 2023. Stores have closed due to economic losses or increased security expenses. In California if caught they can face up to six months in jail and or a fine of $5000. 

This is a societal illness, perhaps a response to the Pandemic, where young men and women are seduced into earning a fast buck for very little input. What surprises me is how they have tamped down the voice of their conscious, the tenor of their soul. When I was a teen, I listened to my soul and happy I did. 

Our conscious is your inner voice. It is there to remind us of G-d’s laws. If you haven’t done so recently, check the Ten Commandments. Number 8 prohibits stealing, a basic law of human societies today. 

In California retailers lost close to $8 billion in annual revenue to theft. This translated to an $18.62 per customer in lost sales tax dollars. This is money the state uses for public schools, colleges, healthcare, environmental protection, and highway safety. Shoplifters are not really “sticking it to the man” but, hurting themselves, their families, and the general public.

If ever your conscious warns you about stealing or other wrong that affects your soul, it’s important to listen and protect your soul or spiritual energy system from the evil you are tempted to commit. Here’s why…

Have you ever been near someone that has drained you? Ever walk into a room and feel an atmosphere? How about sensing someone is staring at you, so you turn your head and notice somebody suddenly look away. These are all examples of our body’s spiritual energy system.

When temptation happens, temptation that will push you over a red line, there are things you can do to protect your energy system. One powerful tool to calm self and to restore a balanced mind and body by taking three deep breaths. Add to this a visualization of a beaming light from the heavens. As you inhale, imagine the cosmic light cleansing and energizing you. And when you exhale, you expel all negativities. (See “8 Powerful Ways to Protect Your Spiritual Energy”)

Our lives are a test for our souls to see how much they have evolved and what they need to learn for the next level of their evolution. Our bodies are the caretakers of this soul. It is your job to protect it from doing wrong. But more importantly, our actions set examples for our children, and no matter your spiritual beliefs, modeling positive behavior to impressionable kids is the only way to go. 

If you are tempted to “stick it to the man” take three deep breaths, visualize goodness flowing in you when you breath, and as you exhale, negative thoughts and actions are released making you feel powerful, in control, and protective of the soul within. Even if you don’t have children in your home,  there are kids out there who are watching their role model do the right thing.