Breathing and Thinking

Yesterday, as I was driving  home from another exciting trip to Wal-Mart, my left knee bent, my foot planted on the seat, so my chin could rest if it got tired, I found myself stopped by a red light. Because I’m a people watcher, I gazed across the intersection and was aghast as I watched papers, food wrappers, and who knows what else came tumbling out the passenger window of a truck.The inhabitants of the blue truck looked to be two young guys–late teens/early twenties maybe. They were talking and smiling as if nothing had just happened.

My mouth literally hung open. My light turned green, and I started to drive, but I kept my eyes on the offenders, daring them to make eye contact with me.

They didn’t.

I turned my head back to the road, angry and with my head shaking. I could not believe I had just witnessed such blatant disrespect of the environment. I was shocked. I was lecturing them in my mind: ‘What was so urgent? Why could you not wait until you got to your destination? Why couldn’t you do like I and throw your trash out while pumping gas?’

My mental diatribe continued with my brow furled.

Suddenly I realized maybe I was just as guilty. Should I, Ms. Holier than They, have turned around and gone to pick up the trash?

If I see litter and scowl and keep walking or, as in this case, keep driving, does that make me just as guilty?

I think it does.

But I didn’t turn around.         

Thoughts?