Susan Thom

'How I Could Use $100 to Make the World a Better Place'


Posted: Wednesday, January 09, 2008

by

I had an experience today that brought back some of my desire and hope that all people aren't bad and malicious and evil. I was at one of my children's apartments in a town of a mixture of cultures and clashes. My son has no problems with the young kids he meets on his way out, because of his innocent demeanor, and size of 6'2. However, he tells me in other areas there are knifings and shootings. I hope for him to come home soon, but things are on hold right now. I forgot something in my car, and went down the three fights of stairs to right outside his apartment, and got what I needed, and when I turned around, there was an adorable little dog or puppy, I didn't know which.

Some man of a different nationality, I didn't know what one, was walking with what did indeed turn out to be a puppy. I said to him, "Oh, your dog is really cute. This led to a ten minute talk on his dog, my dog, his past dogs, my past dogs, and then it was time for him to go. I had wanted to find out if you could still talk to a complete stranger, and find some goodness there. He had no anticipation of sharing any goodness, but once I started talking he either had to listen, or walk away. Not only did he listen, he talked, too. And the longer we talked, the nicer and more relaxed he became. I had done something that others may think is stupid, but I had a burning desire to see that humanity still does exist. I was indeed standing on a sidewalk being friendly with someone, and they were returning the courtesy.

If I had one hundred dollars, I would go to a mall and go up to people and ask them if they had dropped this hundred dollar bill? If they said yes, i'd keep going. If they said no, i would tell tell them i would give them twenty dollars if they share half of it with a stranger, and to tell these people that the reason for doing so was simply that they someday do the same. Have the person go and take care of this deed, where you can see them, and do this until the money has all been gifted but their twenty dollars. This starts people thinking about altruism, and sharing, and selflessness and giving. And let's them think for a while that there are still good people, good energy, good Samaritans, in this world, and they should make sure they are one, too.

We have to start seeing people in caring acts of kindness, and this would populate that. You may think after you have given twenty dollars to five people, that's the end of your mission, or ten dollars to ten people, but it's not. The feelings of giving go on. Any number of people will hear what happened to their aunt or uncle or family member or friend or boss, and maybe some of them would think it a good idea, and do it on their own. It could be five dollars or one dollar, what ever one can spare.

It can be in small doses, but to actually give someone ten or twenty dollars just because you can, is a gift to both the giver and the receiver. If you give 10 dollars to ten people, you've affected them, as well as all the people they will tell of their good fortune, and instruct to also pass it along. A lot of good energy would be sprinkling through the air, the way it should be, and hopefully making a difference, and I think the most amount of people could be helped as a part of humanity and hope working together. If a chain reaction occurred, there'd be no way of knowing how many people were affected, or what state they were in, and it would be a chain reaction of brotherhood, starting from one hundred dollars.



Susan Thom is the mother of three children, two sons, 20 and 23, and a daughter 25. Her older son is in the air force in Germany right now, and her daughter is in the army in Tacoma, Washington.

Writing calms her, and gives her a place to go by herself! Clears the head and gets it out. She lives in a rural area, with a lake and mountains, and her partner, and has loved writing since she was a child.

She has been on a journey of self discovery for twenty years, and has learned many things about the human mind, and how to maintain some semblance of calm and peace within.

If someone reads one of her stories, and relates to her feelings, and gets a suggestion on how she dealt with them in a positive way, that would be the ultimate gift of her writing.

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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)
» left by Kathy Somers
 4 years 7 days ago.
38 fans.
I LOVE your article...very good!! I love the idea of saying you found 100 bucks.....I wonder how many people would say, Yeah I lost it.....................as far as talking to strangers I do it all the time here, but everyone almost knows everyone one way or another, down where ever you son lives, I probably would be scared to, I would have to go by my gut feeling
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» left by 4 years 7 days ago.
hi kathy, thanks for the enthusiasm. i appreciate you reading and commenting, and liking it! best regards, sue
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» left by Bob Alexander
 4 years 7 days ago.
Good article Sue. I wish I had thought of this idea first. Bob Alexander
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» left by 4 years 7 days ago.
hi bob, i had this idea while you were out fishing:) thanks for reading and commenting, best regards, sue
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