Yesterday I suggested to someone their tweet on Twitter was valuable.  I said I’d like to see more of the thinking that lay behind those few words.

I gave the other person my words in a tweet - I then forgot about it.   I got on with the rest of my life…

I had no idea what would happen next.  Never anticipated.  Didn’t think of the consequences.

You know what the person did?  They went & wrote a whole blogpost.  They sat down & elaborated, opened up their original thought & communicated in a whole new way.

My few careless words were like a feather that tipped the scales - thrust the other person over the parapet - and they flew into valuable reflection.

Why is this worth remarking on?

Because it happens all the time.  People we meet are balanced - they are ready to move in one of two directions - forwards or backwards.  Your words, your glance, your tone, your little gesture could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back - that tips the other person over the edge.

Meaning? 

I’m not saying you’re responsible for the influence you have on another person.  This is a lot more complex than simple causation.  The impact of you doesn’t occur in a vacuum - the other person is ready for something.  You simply are the light touch that makes the difference to all that happens next.

This is the butterfly in action - the one that’s at the heart of chaos theory.

I was thrilled the other person wrote their blogpost.  Delighted they delved into the challenge of spelling out their meaning.  I felt good to be associated with the result.  

But it was an accident that was waiting to happen.

Isn’t life funny?