Of course you would. (If not… well, you should.)
On the weekend as I was parking my car and got out to pay for the parking, this car guard came up to me and offered his assistance, he was all smiles and courtesy. I didn’t have the change for the parking meter so he stuck with me and took me to a store where I could get the change I needed. I only needed R2 for the parking and then said to myself “What the hell… he definitely needs it more than I do and he was really helpful.” So I gave him R10 and at that moment I saw the most sincere smile ever and heard the mot gracious thanks I probably have ever received. It was more than just the expression on his face and the words, I just felt it.
A little later it hit me… it was just R10. Something I wouldn’t miss if I lost it and yet it meant the world to this one person. This has been an age old tale and has happened in a myriad of circumstances across the globe, across the ages and yet it never loses its impact when it happens. The measure of things. The way seemingly minuscule things, according to us, affect the world around us in the most profound way. It’s not limited to money either, a thank you, a smile, opening the door for someone, complimenting someone, all these have the most profound influence on people and our environment.
This phenomenon has been proven scientifically by the way. It’s called Chaos Theory, the main point of which is that the smallest of actions can have the greatest of consequences… a butterfly flapping its wings in South Africa can cause a tornado in Hong Kong (there’s an ad based on this for an investment company talking about investment potential… clever.)
I think I digressed a bit from my main point which is that we’ve lost this concept in our modern technology-driven world. We rarely pay attention to how our seemingly meaningless actions are transforming the world around us and affecting the people we interact with. Worse, we rarely do the little things which make small differences in our environment and lift the spirits of those around us in even the smallest way.
We need to change that. So start today. Smile at someone, thank someone. Commit some act of random kindness :)
Technorati Tags: Car Guard, Philosophy, Life, Smile, Little Things
Thank you!
So so true. If every person did one thing, a little thing, a day, just for someone else.
We’d have world peas, and world peace. X
Great idea!
That’s what we, at Tea Lovers Club are all about. We are a group of women that came together with the intention of doing a lot of “little things” for as many people as we can, all in the name of spreading a little love and joy.
You’re so right, Muhammad. I have arguments about this with my friend, who believes it’s extortion and you should give as little as possible.
The first beneficiary of this sort of generosity is the person who is giving! It lessens one’s attachment to money and other material things, and it gives one a feeling of happiness to have made a significant (if small) difference to someone else’s happiness.
Yeah, i hear you but how much charity is enough? If you make 5-10 stops on an average saturday @R10 ea? ALSO: What about the disabled beggars at the traffic lights? What about donations to victims of xenophobia? What about charity beginning at home and taking care of your staff? What about the streetkids? What about Starfish? What about Snowball?
I know I sound like some kind of heartless a-hole but I have donor fatigue.
I hear you Zee, I know you can’t give all the time and you have to draw the line somewhere. All I’m asking for is a little bit, one R10 note a day if you can or even a week. It’s small but it makes a difference. It doesnt even haveto be R10… even R2, buy someone lunch, smile and talk to someone who wouldn’t expect you to… you get my point :)
I would be happy too. R10 buys a lot of glue.
@David : sarcastic much