Dear Editor,
We all need a reminder from time to time, and for me this came as I read the front page story from last week about one resident’s opposition of our new garbage collection program.
What began as a few chuckles as my wife and I discussed the story became a time of a more in depth reflection upon the issues of life. I began to think about how a grateful attitude seems to have disappeared from much of society.
Instead of considering how blessed we are to have a collection program while others in the world literally live in filth and garbage, we are upset over what may be a small inconvenience to our lives. Now, please don’t take this as an attack to the gentleman who has made his concerns known, but rather as a challenge to each and every one of us to give thought to how good we really have it.
Even in this trying economic time, we are still far better off than vast majority of others on this earth. And while we can’t always do much to change things for someone half a world away, we can count our blessings and be grateful for the many things we enjoy and be mindful and alert of the people around us and the small things we can do to help them… whether that be a smile and a thank you at the till, or boosting someone’s car if their battery has died, or shoveling a neighbor’s driveway.
I could go on and on, but my point is this: Let’s be grateful for what we have, challenge the things that matter, and do our best to leave a footprint of gratitude, love, and kindness behind us wherever we go.
Joel Peters