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The Harm Of Neglect

May 7th

“A wrongdoer is often a person who has left something undone, not always one who has done something.”

—Marcus Aurelius

Meditations

Wrongdoing isn't limited to the active mistakes we make—it encompasses the good actions we fail to carry out.

Think about it: have you ever walked past a piece of litter on the sidewalk, choosing to ignore it when you could have picked it up? Or have you witnessed someone in distress and thought, "Someone else will help them," even though you had the means to do so yourself?

These instances of inaction are subtle, yet powerful examples of wrongdoing in our daily lives.

Now, consider the flipside—think of inaction as missed opportunities for virtue. Every moment offers a fork in the road: to act or not to act.

When you choose not to comfort a friend in need, to speak up against injustice, or to offer your seat to someone on a crowded bus, you're forgoing a chance to do good. Wrongdoing, then, becomes less about causing harm and more about withholding help.

What small acts of kindness could you be overlooking?

What good could you do today by choosing to act?

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