20 bucks

I gave 20 bucks today to a complete stranger. Yup, walked straight up to a random, middle-aged lady and handed her a 20. Her surprised reaction was expected, but my reaction was not.

Admittedly, my interest in this experiment was driven partly by curiosity, a sense of self-righteousness, and a bit of ego. I told her to do whatever she wanted with the 20 bucks - keep it, spend it, drop it, give it forward. As I walked away, I was filled - more like, overwhelmed - with compassion. 20 bucks is not a lot of money, to me. But through another pair of eyes, 20 bucks can be a tangible difference. No matter how the lady proceeded with the 20 dollar bill, I felt like my simple act sent a rippling effect along a string of unmet lives.

To that effect, I realized that my every action, every moment, every day -however mundane and ordinary- has a causal effect on the people and environment around me. Every door I hold and "thank you" I say. Every smile I lift and car I yield to. My effect on other human beings is unknown, boundless, and GODly. Just imagine if we consciously considered our every action as a potential source of benevolence (or malevolence). If grasped, the idea is incredibly life-changing. Think about it. We are all connected.