Garbage Collector

There was this mail in my inbox called the “Law of Garbage Truck”. Here’s how the story goes…

***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, and I mean without warning, 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's back end by just inches.

Here's what happened next. 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. How do I know? Ask any New Yorker, some words in New York come with a special face.

Now, here's what blew me away. 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. I guarantee it.***

So here’s the thought…

We all have garbage at home that gets collected everyday. So what do we do with the garbage? Of course, throw it away… right? Right, but how do you throw it? Well, me for instance I hand it over to the garbage collector who comes home every single day. Most of us do actually.

But my point is when the garbage collector comes home to collect the garbage, and then all you got to do is allow him to take all the “garbage” from your home. You must be thinking, “Ha! Ha! That’s what we do, silly”. I say, “Yes, but this time when he comes home, allow him to collect all the garbage from your mind as well, not just the physical one”.

I am not asking you throw your anger, frustration, irritation, sadness, depression etc, on her and abuse the collector, like the guy did in the above story. But instead collect all the anger, frustration, irritation, sadness, depression - mentally, pack it up tightly in a plastic bag and hand it over to her with a lot of enthusiasm and happiness. Remember to thank her, not just because she is doing you a favour everyday by collecting your garbage for you. But because she is making your day ever shinier, brighter and loveable one too. And certainly deserves to be treated like a God.

Each day you go ahead doing this with each and every person and you are sure to treat everyone like they want you to. Then your days become more meaningful to live.