What certain Words mean - PART I

Inheritance:
A word conveniently under-estimated.
There was a time when I used to throw wrappers out my car window without a second thought. I don’t do that now; thanks to a friend of mine (who gave me a good thrashing). I have been careful never to drop a paper outside the garbage can after that. Moreover I try (at every chance I get) to make another person realize the significance of this very menial however very significant responsibility.
But the latest revelation struck me at a painful angle. I was on my way to the city on a rusty dusty public bus. A mother and an eight year old kid came and sat opposite. Now this kid had beautiful light brown eyes with a black rim to her brilliant pupils. I looked at the mom and instantly saw where those eyes came from. The child was chewing on some nit bits from a plastic wrapper. Once she emptied the small packet she rolled it into a tiny crumple and hesitated at the window sill. I could feel her uncertainty; and to clear her doubts I shook an admonishing finger at her. She quickly moved away. At this her mom who was watching me through the corner of her eyes; grabbed the piece of plastic and threw it out the window. And then she sat up a little straighter with a smug smile which spoke tonnes of what she thought about a stagy lass as me.

And I kept wondering what responsibility meant to such people. Unknown to this woman; her daughter was inheriting more than her beautiful eye color. And she couldn’t care less.