The Law of the Garbage Truck

November 1, 2008

I hopped onto the buggy and we took off for town. We were just driving along when suddenly out of nowhere, a team of horses, hitched to an old box wagon jumped out of a side road, right in front of us. My dad pulled back on the reins and our horse came to a quick stop; we just barely missed the side of the wagon.

The driver of the box wagon whipped his head around and started yelling at us. But my dad just smiled and waved at the guy.

So I asked, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ran into our horse and buggy and sent both of us to the hospital!" This is when my dad 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 or at home.

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."

Keywords: amish, amish voice, inspirational, map ministry, mission to amish people