Today I got one of those chain emails after spending the
morning on the Wild West of political sites where you can debate with not only Democrats,
Republicans, Libertarians and Tea Party people but also with KKK members,
secessionists, hard-core NRA members, conspiracy theorists and survivalists
claiming to be living off the grid. And did I mention crazy people? It truly is
a site of fast-moving and diverse opinions filled with nasty name calling and
delusional thought. But I consider my time spent there akin to brain exercises
with a side order of research and debate practice thrown in. For a long time after
Don died I didn’t have the stomach for the place but the mass murders in California
this past Holiday weekend drew me back in big time. The disgusting lack of
empathy for one of the victim’s father, who showed the world his raw grief on
the media, was mind boggling and I couldn’t leave those forum threads alone.
But the world---at least mine---has a way of finding balance
when it’s needed the most thus enters the chain email I got this afternoon. It’s
titled The Law of the Garbage Truck. I have since learned there is a book by that same name written by David J.
Pollay and after reading the reviews, it's obvious the book gave birth to the chain email. Whether David wrote the original email, or someone else, the story in it is his. The book has been translated into 50 languages so I have no doubt this email has probably been around the world a few time. In case you didn't get a copy, here it is:
“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? This 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, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of
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. Life's too short to wake up in the
morning with regrets. So ....love the people who treat you right. Pray for the
ones who don't. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you
take it.”
I love that story, maybe because it reminds me of my one of
my father’s philosophical thoughts on how to live a happy life. Maybe I like
the story because it will help remind me not to take it personal when I’m at the Wild
West of websites and I’m being called vile names because I dare have empathy
for a grieving father. Not that I do take it personal 90% of the time. But that 10% of
the time when I do start getting too invested in a debate thread, I’m going
to remember the Law of the Garbage Truck.
And if that isn’t enough to keep me in check when I start feeling like I am starting to take it personal I will recite a great line I learned today over
at Bella Rum’s blog: “Is this the hill I want to die on?” What could be a more appropriate
question to ask myself when it might be time to retreat from the Wild West and
come play with my friends in the wonderful world of widow and old people bloggers? Some wars of words can't be won and sometimes it's better to live to fight another day. ©
