all-encompassingly

A story is being reported in Argentine newspapers today that deserves global attention.

On Monday, Roxana Ayala, a young 20 year-old mother of three children, was shopping in downtown Formosa. She had taken the bus to the grocery store, since she lives on the poorer outskirts of town. After shopping and arriving back home she realized that there was a small bag in one of her shopping bags.

Upon opening the smaller bag she discovered dozens of $100 and $50 peso bills. She counted the money out and it totaled over $20,000 pesos. This converts to about $7,000 U.S. dollars. This amount was more than her family’s total income over the next several years.

Yet what did she do? First thing in the morning yesterday (Tuesday) she boarded the bus for downtown and returned the money. The manager of the supermarket, who had already reported the money stolen, was elated. Roxana was glad that things had been set right, and even refused any reward money. She left shortly thereafter to get back to her humble house on the outskirts of town.

This is truly a moral tale for the ages. When asked yesterday why she demonstrated such honesty Roxana responded, “Many people told me that I should have kept the money and bought things that my family needed, and there are many things they need. But I have preferred to be true to what my parents taught me: that you shouldn’t keep what isn’t yours.”

Luckily for Argentina and the rest of the world, there is still honesty.