Giving Back

Finally, I can write on my blog again after a few days of really pesky internest/computer service.  Not sure what was going on.

We're two doors from the end of our street.  Right across the intersection is a big square of Amish/Mennonite farms.  We've been walking around the big square and can do it in about 45 minutes.  As soon as I was laid off I thought about that square.  There was so much trash that my OCDC...ADHD...ESTJ...um?  OCD! kicked in and I had to clean it up.

So I started out the other day after lunch.  It was supposed to start raining about 3 pm so I had plenty of time to get things cleaned up.  I walked down one way to the corner and back.  Then started up another leg of the square, around the corner, down the long stretch and then down the road with a dog leg.  I had filled up one bag and was ready to start on my second.

As I started down the road it began to sprinkle but it felt good.  I was sweating and it was humid.  As I neared the corner just down from our house I debated about turning around but stuck with it.  Then it began to really pour.  And pour.  And pour.  I finally had to take my glasses off it was raining so hard.  I asked God to sharpen my vision so I could see the trash.  By the time I finished I was completely soaked...but it felt good.

So giving back.  It's not my trash.  It's not my problem.  Someone else threw it out.  Someone else is a jerk, a litterer, doesn't care.  That judgement doesn't pick up the trash, does it?  It really boils down to an individual choice.  I can give back to my community or I can stand in judgement and use the topic to vent some of my anger at other things.  I can take responsibility.  I'm sure there are times someone else has picked up things for me.

This is my community and I take pride in seeing it look good.  In fact, if I had my mower still I would probably mow the roadsides a little better so it looked even more manicured.

Ah, I can blog again.