Day 129: "Butterfly affect"

I'm guessing many of you are familiar with the chaos theory concept.  Seemingly small influences can result in significant outcomes.  An example would be a butterfly flaps it's wings in China, therefore it rains in Central Park. Might be hard to swallow but bare with me.

Ever wonder what affect you have on your surroundings, even by the simplest of gestures?  Think about it.  Someone flips you off while driving and it pisses you off to no end.  You go home irritated and as you go through the days mail you find a bill for something which leads you to snap at your wife over finances.  Now she's irritated at you and generally in a bad mood.  Not just because you snapped at her but because you failed to notice that she picked up your dry cleaning, straightened up the house and was in the process of making your favorite dinner.  Her friend had called earlier, leaving a voice message.  Because your wife is now out of sorts, she blows off the message not realizing her friend was in some trouble and really needed help.  Now the friend feels abandon, probably a bit emotional and without thinking makes a decision to do something that she otherwise wouldn't because there was no one there to help her.  On and on it goes. One thing affecting another.

That was an example of negative influences.  What about the positive?  Someone lets you cut in line at the grocery store.  Your child does a chore without being coerced.  You get an unexpected "thank you" for something you've done.  You get a call from an old friend.  All of those things will no doubt put you in a good mood and that mood affects your behavior moving forward.  I'll be honest I've been struggling a bit to be that positive influence.  There are a number of things that weigh upon me and I know I've allowed them to affect my behavior.  I have to remind myself that it's one thing to be in a sour mood, sitting in my kiddie pool of self-pity.  It's another thing to be aware that my mood affects how I treat others around me or how others perceive me.  

So, to be a good butterfly or bad butterfly?  Those are my choices.  Will I make it rain or will I bring sunshine?  We'll see...