Miracles of the Day: Episode 3
Trash Buddies
(Written December 23, 2017)
You never know who you’ll meet while picking up trash. Hey on that note, you never know how you’ll end up picking up trash when your intention was just to go for a nice walk.
My day started with a walk, this walk turned out quite lengthy. I started down the sidewalk and saw some trash. I’m not sure why, but I felt convicted to pick it up (though I had nowhere to put it, and the nearest trash can was not for a few miles…or so I thought).
As I started to pick up the trash a small McDonalds bag appeared. Awesome! I could use that for the small pieces I picked up. Just when that bag was beginning to fill, a larger bag appeared so again I felt compelled to keep going. After that bag was almost full, a larger grocery bag appeared, so again I kept going- picking up the trash along the route. A few things I learned through this process… when you feel compelled to do something, Do It!, and if you’re on the right path… a way will find you. Yes, this even includes trash bags magically appearing!
It gets better! …When all the bags were full and no additional bags were in my presence I happened upon a trash can that I didn’t expect to see for a few more miles. Well, of course this trash can was too small for the larger trash bags I was carrying, so I had to keep going. Again- another lesson: “you may have to carry your ‘trash’ longer than expected.”
So on I went thinking I would have to carry the trash a few more miles, but low and behold, a large trash can appeared off to the side of the road not even 100 yards from the original, smaller trash can. Yet another lesson: “you may be able to unload your trash when you least expect it.”
Here’s the best part of this story… later that night I met up with a friend and her husband for dinner. They were there with another couple and the lady of the other couple looked familiar. After a few moments we put the pieces together. She said she went for a run earlier this morning. And I said I went for a walk. She said oh- that’s how I know you, “you were the gal picking up trash on the side of the road when we ran by.”... Too funny- we would have most likely never remembered each other as passer-byers if I wasn’t the “trash-lady”.
Amazing how people come into your life. Mind you, this was the day before Christmas Eve. This sweet woman knew I was a bit lonely and ended up coming over and having a glass of wine with me on Christmas Day! She has also reached out to me quite a few times since. Talk about fast friends! We will always be able to say, we met over trash…
