We sat down and talked and I told him the concern was that today it was bugs and tomorrow it would be people. He behavior might morph into a callous disregard for those around him unless recognized and arrested right now. Years later, he told me that that conversation had a lasting effect, which ended up making him a better person.
Sometimes it's the little things that matter.
A leafy lesson
A few years ago I was in yet another park (I like to take walks through them and think things out in my mind), and saw two young kids plucking the leaves off of a small tree.
They had it almost 30% denuded when I stopped them and taught them that trees absorb carbon dioxide and create oxygen that allows us to breathe while also providing shade on a hot summer day. "You don't really want to kill the tree by removing all it's leaves do you?" shaking their heads no, they proceeded to ask me more questions about how photosynthesis worked, and hopefully left the park with a better understanding of how nature interacts with the world around us.
To me, these little events are like planting "seeds of value" that might one day allow them to grow into an individual making a positive impact on society. Looking down at all of those green leaves on the ground, almost became a metaphor of how we treat each other and this spinning blue globe we call home.
Making the best of the time we have
This existence we're in can end at any time. Don't look both ways when crossing the street? Cement mixer hits you and it's all over. The point is to leave something behind. Enjoy the good things that life offers, but make leaving a constructive legacy your calling card.
What I've found is that if no one says anything when we see the tendrils of discord growing in a person, it slowly takes over until it consumes them. Little thing become big things, and doing the right thing early on can help propagate good values that will last a lifetime.
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