After all the rain we’ve had, it’s now beginning to feel more like summer with the arrival of this high humidity. I’m hoping this weekend along with Monday and Tuesday will be pleasant so everyone can enjoy their 4th of July gatherings. With all the recent hoopla over fireworks, I’ve actually not heard anything loud enough to complain about since they recently started selling them in tents and shops around our City. I’m hoping all those who’re buying them will be all the more careful when lighting their sticks–especially when there are children present.
You all may of late consider me to be on a gripe binge, but early this morning I noticed another recurring event that must take place more often than I want to know. While I was in the front office, I noticed someone walking towards the public trash bin just outside my front door. There are usually just three types approaching it. The first being someone to throwing something into it or putting out a cigarette. And then the second being someone looking for those spent cigarettes with enough tobacco still remaining so to either immediately light it up, or take it with them for a more private re-smoke.
The third and last type is someone looking for redeemable cans and bottles. This morning’s was that third type, and what really annoyed me about him, was that he dumped the cigarette butts on the sidewalk when looking for his precious redeemables. After dumping those butts from the trash bin on my side of the street, he walked across Federal and did the same thing with that one. How much more inconsiderate can people be! There are business owners wondering why all the grease and sugar ants are on the sidewalks in front of their buildings. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out they’re feeding on all the garbage that’s being held in those bins which are only dumped once a week.
One of my clients mentioned something to me about prayer this morning and how his grandmother who lived to be a centenarian, possessed a well worn list she kept near and dear which contained the names of people whom she felt needed her prayers. I couldn’t help but agree with him that there are a few quiet ones amongst us who’ve developed a great ability to pray deeply and selflessly. I personally knew of a quiet one who had just that ability. I was convinced even up until her quiet death, her prayers got far past the sheets and blankets on her bed.
Yet another customer happened to touch on the subject of the little “happy places” we create for ourselves so to get unplugged from our daily trials and tribulations. Some of us listen to music or audio books, others have their noses glued to their televisions, and lastly, there are all those many who exercise just so to get disconnected.
Exercising is good as long as it’s kept at the recommended levels for age and size, but as many of us know, there are those who push their bodies beyond their normal limits so to extract their daily endorphin highs from their bodies. I used to run daily, but eternally glad I kept my distances at a minimum simply because I didn’t have time, as well as knowing full well it could possibly turn into something excessive/compulsive.
Just sitting outside and enjoying all that Mother Nature freely offers us on a daily basis, should be more than enough to get our thoughts turned away from our daily troubles. Wouldn’t it be fun if we could be carried up and away by those fat and fluffy clouds we sometimes find parked above our doorsteps?
