Litter, Enlightenment and Zuri

This isn't a story about our environment, not the environment that Al Gore would have us thinking about anyway. It's a quick tale about a different sort of environment . . .

The day was sunny and warm, the sort of day that demanded an outing to the zoo with cousins. We were just minutes away from Zuri, the baby elephant when we pulled lazily up to the last four way stop and waited patiently for our light to turn green. Just then I saw a blue piece of trash fly out of the window next to me. I strained over Allie's seat to take a closer look. Yep. Sure enough, guy with window rolled down, arm hanging out, piece of blue garbage on asphalt below. My blood began to boil. I reached over to the controls, ready to roll down the window and let the gentleman know that he had not gone unnoticed. But something stopped me.

I calmed myself and took a closer look. A young man, sandy blonde hair, a larger build, snug in his uniform. He was driving an oversized work truck that had something about oil and gas painted happily down it's side, but the driver didn't look happy. He looked like he was doing the same job he'd been doing for the past 1200 days straight. He looked bored, saddened to be imprisoned in the small cab while a perfect autumn day was carelessly passing him by. I felt sad for him.

That's when it happened. I cared more about the individual than I did about the act. I noticed his face more than the meaningless flash of blue that had faded quietly from sight.

I committed then and there that things would be different moving forward. I wouldn't let people's actions define them, I'd let their inherent worth decide who they are.

November isn't too late for a new New Year's Resolution, right?