Day 121 ~ A Gum Wrapper

May 1, 2014     

My instead: I picked up litter alongside Highways 13 and 15 in Belleville.

Almost 25 years ago, I had the opportunity to teach vacation bible school at my kids’ school. I had never done anything like that before, so I welcomed the challenge. But then I discovered that each day’s lesson was planned. Enter Mary Schaefer. I’m not going to miss THIS chance to be creative. I tweaked the lessons each day to put my little spin on the message intended.

On one particular day, I took the class outside to talk about the magnificent world God gave us. The kids and I sat on the grass and enjoyed the beautiful day. We called out each blessing as we witnessed it. While this was all going on, I nonchalantly took out a piece of gum, unwrapped it, put it in my mouth and threw the gum wrapper down on the ground. Oh my gosh, you should have seen the looks on all their faces! You would have thought I started my hair on fire! Of course, I took this moment of indiscretion to teach MY lesson of the day, emphasizing how we should keep God’s world beautiful.

And now 25 years later, I’m telling a similar story. Litter is everywhere, whether it’s a displaced Styrofoam cup or a scattering of rubbish. Debris can be found without much effort. Of course, there is a firm resolution to keep our national parks neat and litter-free. After all, we visit them once or twice a year, right? But what about the places we see every day…the familiar yards, roads, and hillsides? Seriously?

Whenever I leave my home, over 50% of the time I pass the hillside between routes 13 and 15. What a mess! I drive by, I see, I notice, I ACCEPT…someone else’s problem. “Why don’t ‘they’ do something about that?” And it was someone else’s solution to come up with.

But what about me? This is my town, my problem…my solution. Okay, then! I put on my boots and my orange shirt, got my garbage bags ready and headed for the hillside. I picked up all kinds of familiar trash. However, there were some interesting treasures: a Stations of the Cross booklet opened to the 9^th station…Jesus falls for the 3^rd time. (And there I was trying not to fall down this steep slope.) Also, there was the diocesan newspaper, The Messenger, displaying an article named “God’s Quiet Presence in Our Lives”. (Was it a coincidence that I felt His quiet presence in me out there on that hillside)? And lastly…drum roll…I found a ten dollar bill! (Everyone I tell gets most excited about this find than the other two. God’s reward?)

After an hour and 20 minutes of “treasure hunting”, the hillside was free of the litter that had greeted me on my arrival. The back of my car was loaded with two bags of disgusting trash. And I felt good…and humble…and proud.

That’s my hillside! From now on…