RM1 of Compassion: When Small Acts Mean Everything

 

Today, I found myself reflecting on something that seemed ordinary at first—but stayed with me longer than expected.

I went out to buy corns and boiled nuts. My husband stopped the car by the roadside where it was safe enough for me to step out and buy from a hawker stall.

Next to the stall, I noticed an Indian woman sitting with her young child, probably around three years old, resting on her lap. In front of her was a small cup with a few coins—contributions from passersby.

I saw her, but I did not really act on what I felt. I told myself to mind my own purchase and waited for the stall owner to prepare my order.

Then I saw a teenage boy bend down and drop a RM1 note into her cup.

That small moment struck me harder than I expected.

Suddenly, I felt a wave of guilt and shame. What is RM1 to me? Almost nothing. But to her, it might mean a meal, milk for her child, or simply a little relief in a difficult day.

That moment reminded me of something I had read earlier on LinkedIn—about someone buying RM6 rambutan from a little girl helping her family. The writer spoke about how value is not always measured by price, but by impact. What seems small to us can be significant to someone else.

It reminded me of the saying: one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.

We often underestimate the power of small acts. RM1, RM6—these are numbers we barely think about. Yet in the hands of someone in need, they can become something precious.

I chose to give after that. And strangely, I felt lighter. Not because I did something big—but because I did not ignore what I felt compelled to do.

I understand now that compassion is not about how much we give, but whether we choose to see.

And sometimes, what we think is small… is actually everything to someone else.