I was walking along the sidewalk, eyes straight ahead. When suddenly someone almost bumped against me. It was the thing just before me that he ran to pick up. It was money, roughly worth 12 dollars when converted to the USD currency.
I wondered for a moment whether I should have regrets not being the one who picked the money. Then I thought again, well, it is not mine. I did not sweat for it. It's just but a better thing it didn't go into my hands. Because once I picked it up, I should have went around looking for the one who owns the money. It is just but proper to return it to the owner of the money. It is thief not to return it. I am forever considered a thief if I don't go around to look for the owner of the money.
Upon realizing that, I felt better. We shouldn't look at others' achievement with greed. Likewise, we shouldn't act as if we own something just because we saw it in its vulnerability. It is just but proper to return things to their owner in case we saw them lying around or unattended. How peaceful the world would be if everyone thinks that way.
If you, me, she, he, they, will learn the art of living a life with integrity, how beautiful the world would be! There will be no thief, no despiser, judger, and the like. And we could live our lives peacefully and pleasantly.
I was a little amused by the reaction of the one who picked the money up. Oh, well, he immediately looked as if it was his the moment he picked it up. I was following with my eye if there is an indication that he was attempting to return it to anyone who seemed to own it but I believe he didn't do that sort of thing. So pick and go, was what he did. I can't blame him. It may just be the way he was raised. Or, you know, not striving to do the ideal thing.
I suddenly remember my older sibling before, who, behold, had found a bag of money, so much money, had strived to return it to the owner thru a broadcasting station. And as a reward for her good act, the money owner awarded her with money also. At least, her conscience regarding that matter is clean forever. No regrets, only pride that she has done a noble act. Just a minute, but is is just the proper act, ideally speaking. But in today's society, you could say that what she had done was a noble act. That was more than a decade ago. But the nobleness of the act remains ingrained in my mind until now.
