Which door do you open?

While I was writing my first random thoughts blog in Starbucks back in Dec 30, 2008, I noticed one thing which is quite interesting.

There are two doors to enter that Starbucks, kind of the french door type of thing. The right one open to the right and the left one to the left. I noticed that most people entered Starbucks by pulling open their right hand side door, probably about 9 out of 10. And most people exited Starbucks by pushing open the same door, by pushing open the door on their left. So, the same door is being opened and closed way more than the other one.

I wonder why is that.

First, I thought because most people use their right hand to open a door. So, when they enter, they will use their right hand to pull open the right door. However, that doesn't explain why they don't push open the door on their right hand side. Instead most people push open the door on their left hand side, using their left hand. Then, I noticed when people exit, they usually carry a cup of coffee using their right hand. So, they will use their left hand to push open the door of the left hand side. Then, I saw a guy holding a cup of coffee on his left hand, but still pushing open the door on his left hand. Also, I noticed most empty-handed people pushed open the left door as well. So, it seems like regardless of empty-handed or holding something on their left or right (or both) hand, most people still usually push open their left door.

This seems to be independent of whether the people are coming from the right or left. To enter that Starbucks, you have to kind of walk straight a bit, regardless of whether you are coming from the right or left of Starbucks.

So, it seems like most people just like pulling right and pushing left (I am still talking about opening doors, not politics).

I wonder it is only happening in that particular Starbucks or it is just usual (even for Tim Hortons).

For those who wonder, the other door wasn't locked. A very small number of people did open the other door.

Implication? I mentioned in that blog that it was snowing and outside was cold. So, I picked a seat by the side of the less frequently opened door.

Someone owning someone

Have you ever heard someone owns someone? I wonder what that means. I don't think I can ever say I own my kid or I own my wife. That's just wrong. All Christian parents know that our kids are God's and we, as parents, are stewards. Saying "you are mine" is different from "you are my wife". "You are mine" is more like an object-owner relationship. "You are my wife" is a human-human intimate relationship.

Regarding owning, I can think of the following cases:

1. God owns us. That's pretty easy to understand.
2. I own a house. So, it is like human owning an object, not a human.
3. I own a dog. Again, not a human.
4. I own a slave. Although theoretically a human, but actually more like a property.
5. A company owns its employee. Hmm... well... this is more like a service buying thing. Company pays the employee to work. So, it may be said that the company owns its employee during the working hours. It may be more accurate to say the company owns its employee's work and service, not the employee as a person.

So, when you heard he/she/it/they own someone, I wonder what that means. I wonder whether that "someone" has any say. And I wonder how that "someone" feels.

Having said all that, being owned can be very comforting. Being owned by the almighty loving sovereign God is very comforting. Dear Lord, I belong to you. Amen!

Happy Year 2009

Various predictions said year 2009 will be a tough one. It won't be better until 2010. So, I guess this time around, happy new year is quite meaningful. I wish whoever visiting this blog will have a happy new year, a new year which will be a happy one.

It is particularly interesting that I read Psalm 66 [link] on Dec 31 and Psalm 67 [link] /Mark 1:14-28 [link] on Jan 1. Psalm 66 records how Israelites praise God for what He did. All the recital of the history is to give praise and thanks. At the end of year 2008, maybe it's about time to reflect and count the blessings. Hmm... maybe we should also count the "cursing" so that we will try to avoid them. Psalm 67 starts with "May God be gracious to us and bless us and makes His face shine upon us/that your way may be known on earth and salvation among all nations". In this coming tough year, we really need God's grace and blessing and his face shining upon us, so that His way may be known on earth and salvation among all nations. Upon reading Mark 1:14-28, the idea of "at once" keeps popping up. I guess this "at once" attitude of doing things probably is something I should work on.

Anyhow, happy new year.