The Jolly Garbage Guy (Gratitude: Day 13)
Last year I began 30 days of gratitude, and well, here I am a year later up to day 13. I have a Manna Journal - much like a Gratitude Journal - and I jot things in there, but few make it to a blog post (you can thank me later :) )
Today I stopped to visit a neighbour and on the way home I had to navigate around the garbage truck. This is a normal, everyday encounter - except I noticed the guy was semi-dancing, swinging the garbage bin, singing and laughing as he worked. Sometimes they work in pairs, but today he was alone. He had a huge smile on his face - and as dark as my mood might have been, I couldn't help but to smile broadly and wave. Joyfulness begets joy. His smile was contagious.
I made my way home and thought about him for the next few moments. Dumping other people's trash may not be the most appealing job. And yet all of us, in some way or another, have to do this at times. If you're a parent, you probably have to do this a lot - and you don't make an hourly wage or even receive a 'thank you' most of the time. I know the garbage guy is paid. I don't know if he was singing and smiling because of the pay. He could do his job grudgingly, sour-faced, grumpy and scowling, and still get paid the same. But he chose joy today, and for that, I am grateful.
He taught me something of attitude in life. I imagine garbage dumping is a thankless job. So much of what we need to do each day is unpleasant, unnoticed, unappreciated. But this man gave me a smile, a nod, a wave and I caught his joy.
In this season of colds and viruses, I'd rather catch joy than a cold any day.
Today I stopped to visit a neighbour and on the way home I had to navigate around the garbage truck. This is a normal, everyday encounter - except I noticed the guy was semi-dancing, swinging the garbage bin, singing and laughing as he worked. Sometimes they work in pairs, but today he was alone. He had a huge smile on his face - and as dark as my mood might have been, I couldn't help but to smile broadly and wave. Joyfulness begets joy. His smile was contagious.
I made my way home and thought about him for the next few moments. Dumping other people's trash may not be the most appealing job. And yet all of us, in some way or another, have to do this at times. If you're a parent, you probably have to do this a lot - and you don't make an hourly wage or even receive a 'thank you' most of the time. I know the garbage guy is paid. I don't know if he was singing and smiling because of the pay. He could do his job grudgingly, sour-faced, grumpy and scowling, and still get paid the same. But he chose joy today, and for that, I am grateful.
He taught me something of attitude in life. I imagine garbage dumping is a thankless job. So much of what we need to do each day is unpleasant, unnoticed, unappreciated. But this man gave me a smile, a nod, a wave and I caught his joy.
In this season of colds and viruses, I'd rather catch joy than a cold any day.
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