Custom «The Good Samaritan: Homeless Man Turns in Bag Containing $40k» Essay Paper Sample

Honesty refers to the characteristic of being honest, truthful and having a virtue of sincerity. A dishonest person will always have thoughts of becoming rich through dishonest means but an honest man may lack the money but be happy in the end. Money that is acquired through dishonesty means is not long lasting. We acquire it in one moment and the next moment it is wasted in fearful and corrupt acts. However, an honest man may be poor but is fearless, contented and happy with the little he has. He gains respect within the society whereas the dishonest man is treated with hatred and suspicion.

A homeless man from Boston discovered more than forty thousand dollars and traveller’s checks at the South Bay in Boston. He immediately turned in the money to the police rather than keeping it to himself. Upon notifying the police, the backpack and its contents were kept in custody until the owner of the bag was identified and his property was given back. It was a great and extra-ordinary demonstration of personality and honesty which made James, the founder of the bag, honoured by the Boston police with a special citation. The fact that this man was homeless makes it even more humiliating and surprising that he could hand over the lost backpack to the owner. He, however, received an overwhelming assistance from other well-wishers who helped donate fund to help raise a home for him and act as a form of appreciation for his great honesty and openness, especially at the time he was in a great dire need.

If I came across such huge amount of money, quite frankly, I would initially be elated. It could lead me into breaking the news to my family about the money. However, after a day or so, I could do the right thing and hand over the money to the right authorities without keeping a single cent. May be this bag was thrown away by mistake, but then even if the bag was discarded, it was not mine hence I could not keep it . In as much as one needs money to survive in this world I would rather trade for a trade or an exchange when and where I possibly can do it. If what I have can get along into helping someone, then I can share accordingly, but since the money is not mine, then it is not even mine to share.

I would alternatively not attend to the bag but rather call the police. This is because of the current security reasons that are evident like the bombing that had happened in Boston. After handing the bag in, I would fill in a report form stating what I had found, which includes the amount of money in the bag, where the bag was collected and time and date of collection. I would also ask for a receipt of lodgement of the misplaced property or abandoned proceeds of theft report. After that I would follow up the bag and be convinced that the bag was given to its rightful owner.

Through James’ experiences, I have learned a great deal about being honest. Being honest can really help in bad situations and being dishonest can only hurt them. Moreover, trust is built by honesty. Without trust, an individual cannot have the credibility to influence others. It is equally uneasy to seek help from others when needed because they cannot believe in the story behind your situation. James’ honesty convinced most well-wishers of his homeless state who provided much more financial help than the amount that he had picked from the street and handed over to the owner. In conclusion, by living honestly and truthfully, one finds that life is more enriched and significant. It helps conquer problems and excel in life.