Friday, July 3, 2009

Something to Think About...


A friend recently shared this story with me:


Ron, a 9-year old boy, was being raised by his mother who didn't know how to cope with his uncontrollable temper. She knew he was angry that his father had abandoned him and she tried professional counseling, but nothing seemed to work.

So she sent Ron to spend the summer on his grandparent's farm. When he came home, he was a changed boy. His mom asked him what happened and he told her that every time he got mad or said anything unkind, Grandpa made him go outside and hammer a big two-inch nail into a two by four. It was hard, and he wasn't allowed back until the nail was all the way in.

After about 20 trips to the shed to get the tools, he decided it was easier to control his temper than hammer those long nails.

"Did you change because you hated the consequences so much?" she asked.

"Well, that was part of it," he said. "After I'd nailed in all the nails and was behaving better, Grandma took me outside and made me pull them out. That was even harder. When I was done, she gave me this note."

He showed it to her, and this is what she read: "Pulling out the nails is like saying you're sorry. But the holes still remain in the board. You can't fix things by being sorry, but you can stop making new holes. Remember, every time you do something mean and nasty, you're making a hole somewhere in someone. That's what your dad did to you. Please don't do it to anyone else. You're better than that."


In a similar vein:
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. And I mean, 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 -- frustration, anger, 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. Just 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. Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it! Just a Thought...
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11 comments:

Danyelle L. said...

This is a beautiful thought, Nancy! I love it. SO true and so applicable. Thank you for sharing! (We all need more grandmas and taxi drivers like that!)

N A Sharpe said...

Hi Danyelle! There is definitely wisdom in their words and actions.

Nancy, from Just a Thought…

Marvin D Wilson said...

I did a post on this very story and the "Law of the Garbage Truck" last year on my old blogspot.com Free spirit blog. Great story - you did a nice job with it, Nancy. :)

The Old Silly

N A Sharpe said...

Thanks Marvin - I love these stories. There are great lessons here.

Nancy, from Just a Thought…

N A Sharpe said...

Thanks Karen - something a little different today :D

I'm working on a whole new look for the blog too....hopefully up by Monday.

Nancy, from Just a Thought…

joe doaks-Author said...

I’ve never heard either story before. Of course, I live a sheltered life. Anyway, the thought behind both is very true, I think. Not sure if it’s supposed to work this way…old people are supposed to be crabby…but at age 60, I find fewer things bother me to the point of annoyance. Yes, I can get irritated, but generally, I’m more mellow. Give me another 10 years, maybe.

Best regards, Galen
Imagineering Fiction Blog

Patricia Stoltey said...

Those are great stories with excellent lessons, Nancy. And by the way, stories like these can inspire novels. I'm just saying....

N A Sharpe said...

Hi Galen and Patricia, lol, no...grandparently folks are supposed to be kind, compassionate, years of life experience which leads to wonderful insights and advice. These are wonderful stories and good suggestion, Patricia, I'm betting it is great fodder for another story. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Nancy, from Just a Thought…

KK Brees said...

Great lessons and delivered with gentleness. Nice post, Nancy.

N A Sharpe said...

Thanks Karen. Definitely lessons to be learned here.

Nancy, from Just a Thought…

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

These are great, Nancy. And I agree. For me at least, as I've grown older (I'm a great-grandmother)things don't bother me as much as they used to. After all, I don't know what baggage someone else is carrying. Sometimes giving a grumpy person a smile makes them smile back. If it doesn't, I feel better anyway.

Bev

http://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com

 
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