Your Neighbor's Garbage

Today is garbage day in my neighborhood. As I looked out the window, to make sure I didn’t miss pick-up, I noticed someone had placed their rubbish in front of my house. Immediately I threw some clothes on and headed outside to take care of the matter. As I pulled out my garbage can, I saw my neighbors from across the street and asked them if they had placed some of their rubbish in front of the house (thinking that they were trying to split it up). They told me that it wasn’t them. At the same time my neighbor next door pulled up and heard the conversation. He told me that it was his garbage, because he already had a lot in front of his own house. Knowing that we do the same thing (split garbage) with him when we have a lot of garbage, I had no problem doing it for my neighbor. However, I did make a joke that if it didn’t belong to either of those neighbors, I would have pushed the garbage to the middle of the street.

Have you ever taken on someone else’s garbage? Better yet, I should ask, how often do you take on other people’s garbage, because we have all committed that crime. Someone has a burden and we end up taking it on more than they do. For example, a wife tells her best friend that she and her husband had an argument. Next thing you know, the best friend is giving the husband dirty looks and the cold shoulder, while the wife has forgiven and moved on. Other times we become the unofficial counselor for everyone and are burdened down with their problems and our own. Our minds are clouded with worry and stress wears upon our faces, as we drag along the cares of the world.

Nothing is wrong with lending a listening ear (realize I said lend and not give). However, we also need to know when and where to draw the line in order to keep ourselves intact. Every once in a while it’s ok to help someone with their garbage, but you also have to know when to send it back or place it in the middle of the street. After all, no one likes a hoarder!!