Trucks and Motorcycles

The No Garbage Trucks!™ Pledge:
"I do not accept Garbage in my life.
When I see Garbage Trucks,
I do not take them personally.
I just smile. I wave. I wish them well.
And I move on.
And I do not spread Garbage to others.
I am not a Garbage Truck!
I do not accept Garbage in my life."
© 2007 David J. Pollay
BewareOfGarbageTrucks.com

Of course this is all easier said than done, and it's been my experience that due to the severely oppositional behavior that surrounds me, conflicts will quickly spring up to trip me.

I've long tried to remain optimistic, becoming totally thrilled many years ago to discover it can also be a learned trait. Sometimes I feel that all I learned in college and beyond is the fact that the more one learns, the more one realizes that there is still so much more knowledge to pursue. It can become overwhelming if one laments the state of the world, with all its social ills, but if one just keeps on concentrating on one's own little corner of the world, then that's all one can do, so lose the stress, shake it off, concentrate in one area, and go on about your business. My advice to myself.

Life really boils down to God and family, food and water, and little else.

I'm firm in my relationship with God, that's not to say I'm there, but I feel I'm striving forward in the right direction. My family is, and will always be, a full-time love and occupation. I'll continue to attempt to grow a ton of food, and I have a very deep well that the severe droughts have taught me to consider constantly so as to conserve a precious resource. A metaphor for everything, isn't it?

Is this a narrow-minded view of the world, or am I refining my focus only to that which I can reasonably attain?

My focus alone is right demanding, and I wish to remain positive and optimistic, so I gotta let loose of the garbage trucks. I'll happily do so as it's something I've always aimed to do anyway.

As my children grow up and try their wings, as they stumble and fall, struggle and learn, accomplish and succeed, I'll watch from the sidelines, and try not to be drawn into drama. They know how I clearly feel on every issue, there's no need for me to nag. If they want my advice, I'm here. Otherwise I'm fine with limiting contact as they make bone-headed demands on life. Call me if you need some redirection.

I'm not proud of everyone at all, but I'm totally secure in the knowledge that I never wavered from showing them the right path, I never compromised values or morals, and I always tried to teach them to take the high road, even when it seemed to be the most difficult.

I know that many will still try and lash out at me when their poor choices lead them astray. I know that, but I won't accept their garbage over it. I'm proudly stodgy and if that makes me uncool, so be it. I'm comfortable there.

Last night I heard racing motorcycles. I was up in my room around 10:30 watching the UGA-ASU game, I turned down the TV, and heard what seemed like several racers flying through the woods that surround our house - a total impossibility, as the trees are tangled and close together. Sabrina came upstairs and questioned me about it, but I sent her back to bed.

It continued, she returned to my room, so I suggested, "Well let's go check," and we tried to find a male family member to go with us, but everyone was snoring. I grabbed my cell and we walked a bit down our long dirt driveway in the dark, not a one of the five outside dogs raised their heads to follow us. I had my cell, just in case, we were in pjs and flip flops, and we could hear distant voices, which was highly unusual as we live so isolated.

We stood there for awhile, debating on calling the deputies to come check, as we really couldn't see a thing, but it just didn't feel like an emergency. Our gate, way down the hill, was shut and locked, and it was such a clear night that I suppose we were just hearing racing sounds from miles away - giving us a chance to discuss perspective, fear, and 'the big things which eventually fade into vagueness' in our lives.

So too with the garbage trucks. Maybe I'm just so literal minded that I need concrete pictures to form my thoughts, but I feel this is just such a wonderful illustration. I'm so taken with it and I hope to be able to put it into practice, as needed, when under fire.