The Law of Garbage Truck

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? However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly one can re-focus on what's important.


Sixteen years ago, in the back seat of a cab, I learned the strategy of re-focussing and the inner peace it brings. 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 suddenly a red car backed out of a parking space right in front of us.


My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the red car's back end by inches! The driver of the other car, whipped his head around and savagely abused us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy.


I said, "Why did you just do that, he almost ruined your cab 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. As their garbage piles up, they become full of frustration, full of anger and full of disappointment and they need a place to dump it. If you let them, they'll dump it on you.


When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally; instead just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did." I started thinking, how often do I act like a garbage truck?


And how often do I take other people's garbage and spread it; at work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, "I'm not going to do it anymore." Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets.


Love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't. Believe that everything happens for a reason. Never let that garbage truck run over you or pick you up along its route._________________