NICE STORIES 41

One day, there was a blind man sitting on the step of a building
with a hat by his feet and sign that read

"I am blind please help"

A creative publicist was walking by and stopped to observe.

If we always do what we've always done,
then we will always get what we've always got.

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 get back their focus on what's important.

Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson.

I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab.

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, all of a sudden,

and missed the other car's back end by just inches!

The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident,

whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us.

My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy.

And I mean, he was friendly.

So, I asked, "Why did you just do that?

This guy almost ruined your car 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, full of frustration,

full of anger, and full of disappointment.

As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it.

And if you let them, they'll dump it on you.

When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally.

You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on.

You'll be happy you did.

So this was it: The "Law of the Garbage Truck."

I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me?

And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people:

At work, at home, on the streets?

It was that day I said, "I'm not going to do it anymore."

I began to see garbage trucks.

Like in the movie "The Sixth Sense," when the little boy said,

"I see Dead People;" well, now "I see Garbage Trucks."

I see the load they're carrying.

I see them coming to drop it off.

And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing;

I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.

One of my favorite football players of all time,

Walter Payton, did this every day on the football field.

He would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground after being tackled.

He never dwelled on a hit.

Payton was ready to make the next play his best.

Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting.

Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home

from school with hugs and kisses.

Leaders and parents know that they have to be fully present,

And at their best for the people they care about.

The bottom line is that successful people

do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day.

What about you?

What would happen in your life, starting today,

if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?

Here's my bet.

You'll be happier.

Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so..

Love the people who treat you right.

Forget about the ones who don't.

Believe that everything happens for a reason.

If you get a chance, TAKE IT!

If it changes your life, LET IT!

Nobody said it would be easy...

They just promised it would be worth it!

The only survivor of a shipwreck washed up on a small,
uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to
rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for
help, but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a
little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the
elements, and to store his few possessions.

But then one day, after scavenging for food,
he arrived home to find his little hut in flames,
the smoke rolling up to the sky.

The worst had happened; everything was lost.
He was stung with grief and anger.
"God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by
the sound of a ship that was approaching the island.
It had come to rescue him.

Remember next time your little hut is burning
to the ground - - it just may be a smoke signal
that summons the grace of God.
Author Unknown

Last night I had a dream
it had a tale to tell.
I dreamed I saw an Angel;
Poor thing, he wasn't feeling well.

His body bruised and battered
His wings were ripped and torn
This Angel could hardly walk,
He looked so tired and worn.

I walked right up to him to ask;
Angel? How can this be?
He turned around and paused a (bit),
Then he spoke these words to me:

"I'm Your Guardian Angel,
A great task as you can see.
You've run amok most all your life:
Look what it's done to me.

These bruises are from shielding Ýou
In times both dire and íll.
Those alcoholic bouts and drugs you've used
I've often paid the bill.

You see my wings are ripped and torn;
How often they have flown you
From evils unaware.
Each mark is it's own story
of deadly wounds destroyed.

You made me wish~~more than once-
That I was unemployed.
If only you could make ít
Standing on your own;

Oh, don't you fret or worry
but please try to remember
I'm getting old and frail.

I could not believe all I had heard,
Let alone how much he cared.
I wept upon his shoulder,
Then left him ín despair.

The next day I sat and pondered:
Should I really try?
Ånd ín the distance I thought I heard;

A frail Old Angel Cry.
Author unknown

A water bearer in India had two large pots; each hung
on the end of a pole which he carried across his neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it,
and while the other pot was perfect
and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of
the long walk from the stream to the master's house,
the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily,
with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots
full of water in his master's house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments,
perfect to the end for which it was made.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection,
and miserable that it was able to accomplish
only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure,
it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.

"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

"Why?" asked the bearer.

"What are you ashamed of?"

"I have been able, for these past two years,
to deliver only half my load because
this crack in my side causes water to leak out
all the way back to your master's house.

Because of my flaws,
you have to do all of this work,
and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot,
and in his compassion he said,

"As we return to the master's house,
I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took
notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers
on the side of the path, and this cheered it some.
But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because
it had leaked out half its load,
and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot,
"Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path,
but not on the other pot's side?
That's because I have always known about your flaw,
and I took advantage of it.

I planted flower seeds on your side of the path,
and every day while we walk back from the stream,
you've watered them. '

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers
to decorate my master's table.
Without you being just the way you are,
he would not have this beauty to grace his house."
Author Unknown

Thanks to the many sources and the teachers for this knowledge
and wisdom that is helping us on our journey.