The View From My Soapbox

There are few things in life that really bother me. I mean most of the inconsiderate things I see people do makes me shake my head, but I've usually forgotten about them within a few minutes. Not using turn signals when driving is one of those things. Not cleaning up your table at a fast food restaurant is another. It's rude, but it doesn't make my blood boil,if you know what I mean. On the other hand, there are three things in particular, that make me scratch my head and wonder, "what on earth are you thinking?" The first thing that really bothers me is people who cannot return their grocery carts to the grocery cart corral. They think nothing of leaving it in the empty car stall beside them and leaving no room for another car to park. Or they roll the cart to the nearest curb and lift up the front of the cart and firmly plant it in the dirt. Or, the worst one is when I see people actually roll it into someone elses car and leave it parked there! It appalls me...I want to scream, "You know, it isn't all about you. You look like you could stand to walk a little further to the cart corral. Those few extra steps of walking might really do you good"! It's unbelievable, how many people feel this world revolves around them and how convenient life must be made for them and no one else. However, I am a chicken and hate verbal confrontations. So when I see one of these situations as they are happening, I will intentionally walk over to the cart that was just "parked", grab it and take it inside the store...in essence I'm saying, "Here Jerk, let me take that in for you!" 'Nuff said on that except to say, if you are one of those who can't seem to make it to the cart corral...I don't want to hear your justification. There is no excuse...please read on or log off!

The second thing I hate are smokers who feel the world is their ashtray! The other day I was walking behind a man who was smoking. No matter which direction I leaned toward, the wind seemed to be blowing in that direction. We were both heading toward the entrance of the grocery store and this man puffed all the way to the entrance and then threw his cigarette behind him, not caring who might be back there...which just happened to be me! It makes me so mad to see these inconsiderate people, not only polluting the air I breathe, but thinking nothing of throwing their lit object out their car windows when they are finished with it! Have you ever looked down in the gutters of a street while parked at a stoplight? There are hundreds of cigarette butts that people threw out their windows! These people think the world is their freakin' ashtray I tell you!!!! There is nothing I hate worse than seeing a pile of used cigarette butts in the middle of a parking lot somewhere, that someone thought was a great place to empty their car ashtray. Obviously these people are too lazy to walk to a trash can....which I want to tell them the same thing I want to tell the shopping cart offenders....YOU COULD USE THE WALK PEOPLE!!!!!!!

The last thing I want to mention while I'm up here, high on my soapbox is this: We gotta do something about the tagging in this city! Mayor Goodman may have been right when he wanted to "catch these criminals and break their thumbs". I know it sounds drastic, but what right do they have to chose to deface other people's property? If they think they have artistic talent, prove it in positive ways, not by maliciously spray painting signs and symbols that mean absolutely nothing to a majority of the population!

Soapboxes are symbollically something people are said to stand on when they are preaching "down" to people. I really don't mean to be speaking "down" to anyone and if I have offended anyone who reads this, I'm sorry. However, this being my "blog" and a place to express myself...I feel cleansed! I'm stepping down now...but not before I wish my son-in-law Mike Gilles, M.D. a very happy 28th birthday! Mike, you are the best son-in-law I could ever had hoped for. God certainly blessed us all on the day you took my daughter as your bride. Happy Birthday, Son! We love you!

God, there are things in life that make me stop and wonder what in the world is going on. But, then I stop and just try to imagine what it must look like from your perspective. If these things make my blood boil how to they appear to you? Are they so slight and insignificant? After all, there are children being abused and going to bed hungry. There is war. There is hatred. There are homeless. Forgive me God, for the times I've been so caught up in the trivial things of life, and have forgotten to try and look at things through your eyes. Instead of being critical and judgmental, Lord, help me to have more of a servants heart. To be thankful I have healthy hands and legs to take that shopping cart inside the store. To be forgiving toward the smokers and Lord, I'm still having trouble with the taggers, so please show me what to do there. Thank you Father for all the blessings you have given us on this day. Our son-in law Mike, our beautiful grandchild-to-be, all of our children, family and friends. Thank you for the healthy delivery of "Baby Jack Karl" born today. I am thankful! Amen