I pick up trash for the exercise. I do it to see what’s happening in my neighbors’ yards. I do it because the county does not do it, at least not on my road. I also go to see the wildflowers...
I do the same thing on my daily 3 miles with Lupe, my dog. I’ve done it for so long that now Lupe heads for a piece of trash and stops before I ever even notice it. Not only am I a trash lady- I walk a trash dog!!🐕
Thank you for these words, Barbara. It's always good to have our high principles challenged with a dose of beauty and of course reality. Always enjoy your post!
Love all the assorted motivations and discoveries behind this. Funny story from a neighborhood trash-pick-up-walk: an older man in a truck stopped with the window down and wordlessly stuck out his arm toward me, holding a “big gulp” styrofoam cup. He said nothing and did not leave until I took the cup from him, said “thank you” (though maybe I should have said “you’re welcome?”), dropped it in the garbage bag I was holding, and then he drove off without even a nod. Baffling.
I love this practice as an act of faith and grace. When I do it in my neighborhood I try to add the practice of not holding those who deposited the trash in the first place with any sense of anger. Instead I imagine the birds and deer in the nearby woods thanking me.
During his long tenure as Chancellor of U. C. Santa Barbara, Dr. Henry Yang and his wife picked up litter on their morning walks around the lagoon. Thank you, Barbara, for this reminder that a small, local gesture can yield far-reaching results!
Thank you, Barbara - I'm so heartened by a fellow "trash" gatherer's experience! Especially resonant as I live in West Sussex, England - and until moving to our little town, regularly walked, prayed and gathered rubbish along the road through our farm. Such a delightful pilgrimage...here's to all the rubbish-gatherers across the world!
Love this! This is really is so key when it comes to earth care. Doing the next step in front of us! I wrote a book a few years ago called "Garbage Theology" that pulls at these threads. :)
Collaboration with Mother Earth has always been a part of the Covenant, from the Garden on. We’re glad to be in partnership with Her, and grateful to share in Her ground of being. Peace in your pick-upping, Barbara. Thanks for the continuing inspiration…
When I take my grandchildren to the playground, we bring gloves and a trash bag and they think that is the thing to do. A treasure hunt! I’m glad to read that pointing out the beauty of nature is also an important part of picking up trash, thank you.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful ritual and the richness of your realizations about it. Seeing litter piling up on the roadways does cause a dip in spirits! I admire you for doing what you do to help the problem! Some days, I feel bright and hopeful, but other days not. Shining spirits like yours can show us the way. Flowers, new leaves, birds and animals always cheer up the dullest day. Bless you!
Thank you! We are of the same mindset. For many years now we have a bag in our pocket whereever we go for a walk, but especially when we walk the mountain we live. Bottles, cans, etc end up in that bag and most of them go back to the recycling depot. It makes us very sad to see the garbage thrown out but you've given us a good reminder to...yes, pick up the garbage, but focus on the beauty around us.
Twice I have picked up litter along a road, both times in NYC where my later sister lived. When she was dying of a brain tumor, I picked up litter along the sidewalk of one block in the Bronx near the hospital. Going there every day when there was absolutely nothing I could do for her, and every day was worse than the day before, it was therapeutic see the results of my work. Some people gave me a thumbs up, but at least one chided me for doing a job the city should be paying someone to do.
The other time was in the median strip on Broadway between Jewish Theological Seminary on one side of the street and Union Theological Seminary on the other. I think the city had plans to landscape it, but at the time, many years ago, it was just a receptacle for trash. Most of the litter was the usual, but cigarette butts were the worst because they are so small and hard to pick up. This is an extremely busy street, but I got a lot of thumbs up. My self righteousness ramped up to dangerous levels. "Two schools of theology and no one is even willing to pickup litter!!"
I do the same thing on my daily 3 miles with Lupe, my dog. I’ve done it for so long that now Lupe heads for a piece of trash and stops before I ever even notice it. Not only am I a trash lady- I walk a trash dog!!🐕
I love that your dog joins in! That's so adorable.
This resonates and reinforces my 4th quarter of life mantras: Less is more & Small is beautiful.
Grateful!
Thank you for these words, Barbara. It's always good to have our high principles challenged with a dose of beauty and of course reality. Always enjoy your post!
Love all the assorted motivations and discoveries behind this. Funny story from a neighborhood trash-pick-up-walk: an older man in a truck stopped with the window down and wordlessly stuck out his arm toward me, holding a “big gulp” styrofoam cup. He said nothing and did not leave until I took the cup from him, said “thank you” (though maybe I should have said “you’re welcome?”), dropped it in the garbage bag I was holding, and then he drove off without even a nod. Baffling.
When feeling virtuous
for picking-up others’ trash,
Earth keeps us humble.
I love this practice as an act of faith and grace. When I do it in my neighborhood I try to add the practice of not holding those who deposited the trash in the first place with any sense of anger. Instead I imagine the birds and deer in the nearby woods thanking me.
Mother Earth and I thank you for caring, even if your intention is to exercise. 😉❤️🙏❤️
“Be famous for five miles,” Gary Snyder once wrote, meaning that was enough ambition for anyone who sets out to change the world.
Perfect.
During his long tenure as Chancellor of U. C. Santa Barbara, Dr. Henry Yang and his wife picked up litter on their morning walks around the lagoon. Thank you, Barbara, for this reminder that a small, local gesture can yield far-reaching results!
Thank you, Barbara - I'm so heartened by a fellow "trash" gatherer's experience! Especially resonant as I live in West Sussex, England - and until moving to our little town, regularly walked, prayed and gathered rubbish along the road through our farm. Such a delightful pilgrimage...here's to all the rubbish-gatherers across the world!
Love this! This is really is so key when it comes to earth care. Doing the next step in front of us! I wrote a book a few years ago called "Garbage Theology" that pulls at these threads. :)
Collaboration with Mother Earth has always been a part of the Covenant, from the Garden on. We’re glad to be in partnership with Her, and grateful to share in Her ground of being. Peace in your pick-upping, Barbara. Thanks for the continuing inspiration…
When I take my grandchildren to the playground, we bring gloves and a trash bag and they think that is the thing to do. A treasure hunt! I’m glad to read that pointing out the beauty of nature is also an important part of picking up trash, thank you.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful ritual and the richness of your realizations about it. Seeing litter piling up on the roadways does cause a dip in spirits! I admire you for doing what you do to help the problem! Some days, I feel bright and hopeful, but other days not. Shining spirits like yours can show us the way. Flowers, new leaves, birds and animals always cheer up the dullest day. Bless you!
Thank you! We are of the same mindset. For many years now we have a bag in our pocket whereever we go for a walk, but especially when we walk the mountain we live. Bottles, cans, etc end up in that bag and most of them go back to the recycling depot. It makes us very sad to see the garbage thrown out but you've given us a good reminder to...yes, pick up the garbage, but focus on the beauty around us.
Twice I have picked up litter along a road, both times in NYC where my later sister lived. When she was dying of a brain tumor, I picked up litter along the sidewalk of one block in the Bronx near the hospital. Going there every day when there was absolutely nothing I could do for her, and every day was worse than the day before, it was therapeutic see the results of my work. Some people gave me a thumbs up, but at least one chided me for doing a job the city should be paying someone to do.
The other time was in the median strip on Broadway between Jewish Theological Seminary on one side of the street and Union Theological Seminary on the other. I think the city had plans to landscape it, but at the time, many years ago, it was just a receptacle for trash. Most of the litter was the usual, but cigarette butts were the worst because they are so small and hard to pick up. This is an extremely busy street, but I got a lot of thumbs up. My self righteousness ramped up to dangerous levels. "Two schools of theology and no one is even willing to pickup litter!!"