Small Decisions, Big Consequences
Recently I witnessed someone finding a £20 note on a school bus. No one stepped forward to claim it. There was no announcement, no attempt to ask around, no pause for thought.
The note was simply taken and kept. On any ordinary day, it might have been dismissed as nothing more than a lucky find. But this did not happen on an ordinary day. It happened on Remembrance Day, a moment in the calendar that is supposed to centre on sacrifice, compassion, and putting others before ourselves. Children in Need was round the corner and now as the heavy weight of Christmas bears down upon us, a time when 1 in 6 parents can’t afford gifts for their children according to Claus for a Cause. In that context was this really the best course of action?
This was not money that had been earned or expected. It was not planned for. It was not budgeted for. It had arrived by pure chance, and because of that, giving even a small portion to charity would have cost nothing in real terms.
Yet the decision was made to keep every penny. We should also remember that these charities are fighting for a real cause. The Royal British Legion is supporting veterans who are currently homeless, a study by the Office for National Statistics suggests that up to 7,500 veterans are in this position. Maybe this person wasn’t aware of these studies, however the sense of poverty doesn’t require a study. When I travel to all corners of the country in every city and increasingly some towns now have beggars. This should be no surprise to anyone that a shocking one fifth of the population face poverty to a certain degree.
These are the kinds of moments that quietly shape character. In the same week that the Covid Inquiry has reminded the nation how past decisions echo for years to come, it feels worth remembering that responsibility doesn’t begin in government buildings. It begins in everyday moments. On buses, in corridors, in the choices we make when we think no one is watching.
However, what would a singular £20 note be able to achieve? Well, not a lot. However, while there is no definitive figure on how much money is “found” after being “lost” we can assume it is a significant amount. However, there are stories of the Humphrey family in New York who amassed $1,013 from pennies and notes on the pavement. A study conducted by the insurance company Esure suggests that the average person misplaced around 198,743 items over the course of their life. So, maybe when we account for this, collectively each find can become part of something bigger.
Sometimes it starts with a £20 note.