The Ripple Effect

We often think of our actions with the perspective that they have an immediate effect. That is true, our actions have immediate influences. However, the good and bad news is that they also have long term effects that go beyond our imagination. Allow me to explain this through slightly exaggerated examples.
When I was in Sri Shakti Amma’s ashram, I was introduced to their “Green Shakti” programme. Green Shakti empowers over 1638 farmers who plant saplings in their villages. Each farmer is given 500 fruit bearing plants, leading to the planting of 6m saplings within just one year. The effect of this program is not only immediate in relieving those farmers of poverty, it also has a compounded effect on the environment, and on the generations to come of these families (through better education and life choices).
An opposite example is one I encountered this morning. During the morning rush hour, many cars took the emergency
lane in an attempt to skip traffic and cut off cars. What they had not anticipated though, is that an ambulance in an
immediate need to get to a patient was blocked because of this. It got me thinking, what if the patient waiting dies
because he had not received help fast enough? What if this person was a father/mother and the children end up committing crime because they had not received the guidance children need from their parents?
I invite you to look at the effects of your actions beyond the immediate moment. Always act with love.