Last week, some highway workers in Indiana found over $130,000 stashed in a tire on the side of the road. When they realized that they encountered cash and not trash, they contacted the Indiana State Police. The authorities stated that they would attempt to find the rightful owner of the money, which may become property of the US government if unclaimed. The workers who discovered the money apparently don't get a piece of their find, and were simply praised for their "honesty and integrity."
This story led me to wonder what I would do if I stumbled on a large sum of money. My immediate thoughts were of greed: if no one was around, and it looked like it was sitting there for some time, why not? Who would know? But as I continued to think about it, the more the moral side of my conscience spoke to me. Turning the money into the authorities, just as those highway workers did, is the only right thing to do. I'm a believer in Karma, so claiming something that isn't mine would only curse me twofold. I suspect that I would be tormented by the guilt and paranoia that would come with stealing such a discovery, and I know that I would not be able to tolerate it. The Roman poet Ovid once said, "Men do not value a good deed unless it brings a reward." Well in a situation like this one, peace of mind would be enough reward.
