Don’t let “garbage trucks” ruin your day Published March 30, 2012 By Chaplain (Maj.) Olga Westfall 94th Airlift Wing Chaplain Office DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. -- My full time employment is with the Atlanta Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, where I serve as a Chaplain. I'm assigned to a psychiatric floor and lead numerous spirituality groups. I love working with veterans who go through difficult times, suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, homelessness and many other issues. As I lead spirituality groups, I look for various recourses and materials to help me get my point across. When I run across a good story that can make one think, I use it in my spirituality groups and encourage attendees to discuss them and add their thoughts. Someone shared a story with me titled, "Law of the Garbage Truck." I've used it during numerous substance abuse spirituality groups and other groups, and I would like to share it in this article: "One day I hopped in a taxi and 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. He was really friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? That 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'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and 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'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. Remember, life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it! Don't become a "garbage truck" and don't let other garbage trucks ruin your day and your life. We are hurt the most by people who are the closest to us when they don't understand us, or say or do something painful to us. God will never give us more than we can bear. He will give you all you need to overcome. Although you might be bumped by a garbage truck you don't need to become one. Have a blessed, garbage-free day!
