The following insightful piece came to me recently from a good friend. It spoke to me; and I am sure it will resonate with many others as well. If you are having a terrible day (and especially if this has come at the expense of others), why not consider “The Law of the Garbage Truck”?*
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. 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 will dump it on you.
So, do not take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and then move on. Do not collect their garbage, and then 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 is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so ... Love the people who treat you right; and pray for the ones who do not.
Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it! Have a blessed, garbage-free day!
*Obviously, the origin of this piece is the 2010 book by David J. Pollay titled The Law of the Garbage Truck: How to Respond to People Who Dump on You, and How to Stop Dumping on Others, published by Sterling Publishers, and available at: http://www.amazon.com/Law-Garbage-Truck-Respond-Dumping/dp/1402776640.
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. 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 will dump it on you.
So, do not take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and then move on. Do not collect their garbage, and then 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 is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so ... Love the people who treat you right; and pray for the ones who do not.
Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it! Have a blessed, garbage-free day!
*Obviously, the origin of this piece is the 2010 book by David J. Pollay titled The Law of the Garbage Truck: How to Respond to People Who Dump on You, and How to Stop Dumping on Others, published by Sterling Publishers, and available at: http://www.amazon.com/Law-Garbage-Truck-Respond-Dumping/dp/1402776640.