點心, or dimsum, is not an unfamiliar term if you are fond of Chinese cuisine. It involves a variety of small, bite-sized dishes served alongside tea. However, an experience I had while working as a waiter in a Hong Kong restaurant changed my perspective of this term and its underlying essence.
There was this particular customer who frequented the restaurant regularly and always tended to give a tip of $2.00 directly to the waiter. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to make someone’s day. One day, I overheard a conversation between him and his friend, who asked why he liked to give a tip to the server when it was part of their job. The answer he gave was ‘點心钱,’ which means ‘money that touches the heart.’ He explained that sometimes a nominal sum has the potential to add warmth and value to someone’s day. Such gestures, be it through modest tips, sharing words of appreciation, or simply engaging positively to create a ripple of goodwill.
How to ‘touch a heart’ in the digital space.
I find this quite profound because it somehow reflects the idea that a small action can fill someone’s heart. It is similar to how small bites of dimsum can fill up one’s stomach as well. Nonetheless, his answer has strongly influenced my appreciation of how all actions, regardless of big and small, are interconnected.
I suppose this embodies systems thinking on a spiritual level.
P.S.: I would recommend the movie ‘Pay It Forward’ (2000). In this film, the concept is that a small, seemingly insignificant act of kindness can lead to a chain reaction of positive actions.