Beware of Garbage Trucks

The below is I have received several times from several different connections over the last week. It's grabbed my attention in moments where I NEEDED to read it. It's important obviously and God I believe has sent it to me via His "Angels" He's got surrounding me in my life. One thing is for sure there have certainly been garbage trucks in my life but I have choices. I am NOT a garbage truck that is for sure. I have made that choice! Beware of Garbage Trucks by David J.  Pollay How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood?  Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day?  Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your heels.  However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly she can get back her focus on what's important. Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here's what happened.  I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station.  We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches! The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!" And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck."   Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally.   You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did. So this was it: The "Law of the Garbage Truck." I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, "I'm not going to do it anymore." Well, now "I see Garbage Trucks." I see the load they're carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.   One of my favorite football players of all time, Walter Payton, did this every day on the football field. He would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground after being tackled. He never dwelled on a hit. Payton was ready to make the next play his best. Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses. Leaders and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at their best for the people they care about. The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day. What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by? Here's my bet. You'll be happier. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so..  Love the people who treat you right. Forget about the actions of the   ones who don't. Believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance , TAKE IT! If it changes your life , LET IT!

Hi Kat, I lurk here a bit but I've only posted here once several weeks ago, but I wanted to thank you for posting this story about garbage trucks.  It really hit home today--my normal hang-outs are the DS and the Light-Weights Boards, and we tend to have "dust-ups" on the DS board.  Anyway, I think I barely escaped a couple of "garbage trucks" today, so I copied "Beware of Garbage Trucks" to my profile blog. You've given me some positive inspiration today. Thanks. Gina Centreville, VA   

I, too, enjoyed the story & it's very similar to a story my Mom taught us growing up but with a different lesson.  The "Garbage Truck" sends the message of understanding, patience, kindness & forgiveness...all very important aspects that each of us need to practice on a daily basis. My Mom's version goes like this: Each of us come into this world with a bucket.  As time goes on & we begin to experience life's ups & downs, our bucket begins to fill up with...hmmm....how to clean this up a bit...ok, it begins to fill up with crap...poopies, if you will.  Week by week, more & more poopies.  Pretty soon, as we learn to develop relationships with other people, we invariably will come across those that decide they're bucket is too full, too heavy, & they don't wanna tote it around anymore.  So they start looking for someone else to carry it for them.  They don't necessarily wanna lighten the load, they just wanna suck someone else in to carry it for them.  Well, before you realize it, you're not only carrying YOUR bucket, but also those of your friends, family, acquaintances, bosses, co-workers, etc.  Before long you're so weighted down with all these extraneous buckets that you don't even have time to tote your own anymore. Now, it would be easy for me to explain what the lesson in my Mom's story is, & I will, but first I'd like to see how ya'll interpret it.  So, what's the lesson?

I learn so much from this forum. Both stories are gems and I will use them everyday from now on. Thanks Kitty and Anne for sharing these with us. You folks are the greatest!!