We all know that actions have reactions. We also know that individually, we’re all making some sort of contribution to this earth. Still, at one point, you may have thought something along the lines of, “Well, my existence is pretty replaceable. In the long run, will my being here really have mattered?”
Yes, yes it would have. I’d like for you to revisit those thoughts.
As human beings, we’re collectively made up of each incident that has occurred in our lives, notable or nominal. Even trivial behaviors have ripple effects we don’t notice and can't see. Undeniably, however, they still exist.
For example, maybe you were the listener in class who never quite knew how to articulate your thoughts. Your silence, at one point, may have distracted you so that you noticed a scar peeking through the sleeve of the girl to your left. Maybe that opened your eyes to mend a broken relationship with a friend who used to self-harm. At the same time, a more talkative member of your class may have eventually realized that he should start personally reaching out more to those who speak less.
These little moments can shift the axis of your entire day, even if they aren’t necessarily happy. Inadvertently, we’ve all probably triggered someone’s sadness, anger, hopelessness, desire, or renewed faith in humanity. Just think about how your presence and your activities could really be making the day easier — or harder — for someone else. The thought is pretty incredible.
Think of how you smiled at your barista that one morning. She then noticed how your jeans sort of looked like the kind worn by her father, who she hasn’t spoken to in ages, and thus decided to call during her break. Even though the brief interaction between you both was forgotten in your minds by that point, this barista had an amazingly simpler time dealing with a tough customer as the day played out. Unconsciously, she was much more patient with someone who had been having a genuinely horrible day. Then, that individual was able to breathe just a bit easier because he was reminded that he could at least still enjoy the comforts of his favorite coffee joint without hassle.
Just because of one simple interaction.
The party you decided to skip out on, the hairstyle you decided to sport, the last Nike shirt in stock you decided to buy -- indirectly, they were all actions you took that did, however minutely, change lives. A stranger could see your “221 Baker Street” laptop sticker and smile because they understand the reference, and now they secretly share a piece of humanity with you. A fellow student may see you sipping lemonade on the quad and then remember to take a breather to enjoy life’s beauty. And really, when you think about it, who knows what effect wearing your Chacos had on the world today?
In the same vein, you make a difference through everyone you simply talk to, almost unnoticeably. The way you treat your siblings as you grow up together will affect the way they’ll treat their children, who will then keep a piece of you in them as they carry on. Considering that, you don’t even have to exist to have an impact — even a miscarriage can have extensive implications. How, then, can you (a living, breathing, soul who could be living the most drab, secluded lifestyle) have less of an effect than one who was never even born?
Just because you don’t notice the effect you have on the world — even if the world doesn’t notice the effect you have on it — doesn’t mean that there is none. No, we’re not all clamoring to be the next Apple CEO or revolutionary world peace figure, but the world would be an incredibly different place without a single one of us. So, from now on, think about your words and actions having immense, widespread, and immeasurable reactions. Think of them as spells you cast to heal the world, yourself, and others. Think that way, and maybe you’ll come to realize how you are actually that butterfly they all seem to be talking about.
