Guest guest Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 There have been poignant posts lately about trying to stay raw in difficult situations. I share this story because this life lesson has helped me so much deal with staying true to my beliefs and tolerating those who differ from me. I have a neighbor whose daughter had a boyfriend who parked in front of my house. When he visited Jennifer, he threw soda cans and food wrappers onto my lawn. It really annoyed me. I talked to the girl's father and although he said he would handle it, he never did. I told a group of teens one day and used this story for problem- solving. The kids came up with all kinds of suggestions, most centering on revenge. We all had a good laugh as we thought of carrying out some of their schemes. Finally, a seventeen-year-old raised his hand. What Tony said next has made a profound impact on me. He said, " You know the trash isn't yours even though it's on your property. You even know who is responsible. Pick it up anyway and as you do this, silently thank the litterbug for giving you the chance to be the better person. " Can you believe this came from a teenage boy? What wisdom he has far beyond his years! I try my best to treat people kindly and remember if they are mean- spirited and do things to hurt me, I try to think that they're giving me the chance to be the better person. Thank you for letting me share this experience. Micki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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