Little things.

Ignore the fact that this blog post coincidentally has the same name as a song by One Direction. I have to admit straight away, to avoid any confusion or ambiguity that this was absolutely not my intention, it's just that it's kind of important that this post has that name. As anyone that knows me well will be able to confirm, I really love the little things in life, a kind gesture like holding the door open for someone, or a smile from a stranger or even just a simple matter of helping someone out when they need it. These things are the kind of things that not only make my day, but reaffirm my faith in humanity, especially when there's so much hate and carnage in the world. My latest happy moment came from a news story I first came across on Twitter, and it is truly phenomenal, so I thought I'd share it.

A few days ago, in Boston, America, a 54-year-old homeless man named Glen James found a backpack in a local shopping mall, containing travelers cheques and lots of foreign currency totalling at a value of $40,000 (£25,000) While this man had very sparse possessions and no money or shelter, he proceeded to do the honest thing and handed the backpack, containing the full amount of money, to the police, with no regard for his own well-being. Meanwhile, the traveler whose backpack it was had reported the bag missing to the police, who then traced it and reunited the man with his belongings. Mr James then received quite a lot of media attention due to his selfless act of honesty with sparked someone else to follow in his footsteps, and do a good deed. 

When citizen Ethan Whittington read about Mr James' selfless honesty in the paper, he applauded him for his actions, and felt so strongly about what this man had done that he started a fund for him, as a reward. As of today, Ethan Whittington, with the help of others in the community, have helped raise a huge $100,000 to help Mr James and those like him who have fell on hard times and been left on the streets. When asked in an interview, Mr James said he could never even consider taking the money, as no matter how little he had, it was not his to take. 

This brought a tear to my eye, (I mean everyone knows I'm a sucker for a happy ending!) because even when this man could've just walked away, carrying £25,000 to give himself a better life, despite the fact the money wasn't rightfully his, his compassion and his honesty prevailed, and he deserves an indescribable amount of credit for that. It just shows you what lengths some people are willing to go for for others. A story that left me grinning from ear to ear. Proof that, even now, in 2013, with new conflicts breaking out around the world and financial struggles both sides of the Atlantic, if you dig deep enough, basic human kindness is what everyone has the chance to offer. Glen James is a hero in my mind, and I have massive amounts of respect for a man who listened to his conscience, rather than gut-instinct, and did the right thing. It really is the little things that count.