Law of the Garbage Truck by David J. Pollay

How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly he/she can get back her focus on what's important.

Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab.

Here's what happened:

I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches!

The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us.

My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!'

And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

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 if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally.

You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did.

So this was it: The 'Law of the Garbage Truck.' I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, 'I'm not going to do it anymore.' I began to see garbage trucks. I see the load they're carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.

One of my favorite football players of all time, Walter Payton, did this every day on the football field. He would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground after being tackled. He never dwelled on a hit. Payton was ready to make the next play his best.

Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses.

Teachers and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at their best for the people they care about.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day. What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?

Here's my bet. You'll be happier.

So.. Love the people who treat you right.
Pray for the ones who don't.
Believe that everything happens for a reason.
If you get a chance , TAKE IT!
If it changes your life , LET IT!
Nobody said it would be easy...

They just promised it would be worth it!

Something to share……

How true it is that whenever we are driving, we always think that we are better drivers than others. When someone is overtaking us, we curse him as “hell driver” and somehow we tend to accelerate our speed wanting to overtake him. Perhaps this is a “Kia Su” garbage truck law in us?

On the other hand, when a car in front blocks our way when we want to overtake, we used to condemn this kind of driver as “kopi O license” driver. As usual,long before approaching, we have flashed the head light warning him to give way and move to the left. How impatient, annoyed, irritated and intolerant we are? Worst of all, the anger keeps boiling inside us!

We have heard of so many cases of law-abiding drivers being beaten by “road bullies”. These are sad cases of people being controlled by anger, a powerful emotion inside us that could take over our thoughts with violent force. It can strike us any time while we are driving, and it seems uncontrollable at times. When people turn to be “road bullies” and become violent because of anger, it will ultimately bring hurt and injury to others who are just strangers to them.

Just like the smiling taxi driver in New York City, we have nothing to loose being humble and apologize first even though we know we have observed traffic laws and not on the wrong side. This will somehow cool down the other driver even he has been blinded with anger. This is the best way to avoid a violent incidence when we have encountered a missed accident. I had come across several incidences like this and I used to say repeatedly “I am sorry, I am sorry” as soon as I came out from the car. So far it worked without any unpleasant incidence happened to me by being apologetic to the other driver.

Always remember, my friends, “FORGIVENESS” (by being apologetic) is surely the greatest remedy for calming down a man of anger.

Oh yes. Don’t ever let the garbage trucks run over us!

In Ephesians 4:31 & Colossians 3:8, God wants us to throw away all garbage in us, such as "bitterness, wrath, anger, malice, clamor, slander, evil speaking, abusive speech and filthy language.”

Are you ready to let go all garbage (also include hatred, nastiness, cruelty, wickedness, mischievousness, uproar, yelling, screaming, shouting, insulting, defamation, jealousy, envy, greed, resentment, offensive, assault, suspicion, distrust, unpleasantness, hostility, fury, rude, impolite, vulgar, abusive, bad-mannered, ill-mannered, etc) in you?