The Law of the Garbage Truck

This is just one of those anonymous stories that has a good word for each one of us. One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.  So I asked, "Why did you just do that? That guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!"  

This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck."  He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage -- frustration, anger, disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you.  Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on.  Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.  The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day.  Anger, hatred and resentment that lives within us is destructive and counterproductive.   

A pearl to string: There are many places in life where we get the opportunity to live

the "....forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" part of the prayer our Lord taught us to pray.  (Matthew 6:9-13)  

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.” - Martin Luther King Jr. 

Love the people who treat you right.

Pray for the ones who don't.

Because you are loved,

                               Lyndi