Thursday, August 25, 2011
Feel Like Someone is Watching You?
Every day on the bus ride home from work, one of my fellow passengers reads a news paper. He's an older gentlemen and looks professional with a tie, white shirt, and business coat. Each day, he gets off the bus two stops ahead of me. Each day, he purposely leaves his newspaper on the bus seat when he gets off. At first, I thought it was by accident, but after watching him do it day after day, I realize that his intention is to avoid having to throw it in the trash. So, my interpretation is that he essentially litters because he's too lazy to deal with the newspaper himself. So, he leaves it for the bus driver who has to clean the bus at the end of his shift. Watching this occur day after day has brought me from mild irritation to general disdain for this man. I don't know if he knows that I watch him or that I notice that he leaves his trash behind each day. I heard a quote once that says that a man of integrity does what is right even when no one is watching him. This brought me to some self-reflection. What do I do that might cause someone to dislike me? What corners do I cut for my own convenience that cause others to shake their heads at me? Someone might be watching. Someone almost always is. But, as a man of integrity, I need to do what is right even when no one is watching. I need to make sure that I'm not leaving behind any litter that is aggravating others.
Labels:
Observations,
Reflection

4 comments:
Wow, Babe good blog!
He may be leaving it for someone else to read (like unemployed folks who ride busses and may be looking for work.)
What I didn't mention is that my stop is only a couple stops from the end of the line and there are only three people left on the bus by the time he gets off. So, somehow I don't think he's leaving it for someone else. Also, today I checked, he only leaves the comics and the Sudoku section.
Hmm...so much for the benefit of the doubt. You could try mentioning to him that he forgot his paper and see if that makes him aware that everyone left notices him trashing the bus.
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