"Hot Dogs And Baked Beans..."

That's what's on the menu for tonight! This is my traditional birthday celebration dinner. Daughter Megan, her boyfriend, "Butters," and dear ole Mother-In-Law will be in attendance to partake in a belated birthday celebration. Couldn't imbibe on Tuesday, as that is the evening that Judi and I lead our two and one half hour session of Dynamic Marriage. The six participating couples all joined in to celebrate my special day with a rousing chorus of "Happy Birthday," mostly on key. Was a good day and a good evening.

Received an email from a dear and cherished North Carolina friend whom I have known since childhood. Thought I'd share it... It's entitled the "Law Of The Garbage Truck." It makes better sense if retold in the first person...

"The taxi cab arrived to take me to the airport. The 20 minute trip was proceeding uneventfully. The cab driver was skillfully maneuvering through the morning's city traffic when a black foreign limousine suddenly pulled away from the curb directly into our path. The taxi driver slammed on the brakes, putting the car into a skid, and just missed crashing into the other vehicle by mere inches. The driver of the other car whipped his head around and began cursing at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved politely in return. To say that that he was really friendly doesn't do justice to the remarkable restraint that he demonstrated. After I had begun to regain my composure, I asked the cabby, "Why in the world did you respond to that jerk in such an accommodating manner? He almost caused us to be involved in a serious wreck!" "Garbage truck," he responded. "You see," he began to explain, "many people are just like a garbage truck. They run around with their lives full of garbage, full of anger, full of frustration, full of disappointment. As the garbage in their lives begin to pile up, they need some place to dump it. And if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time, they dump it on you! I don't take it personally. You shouldn't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well and move on with your life. Don't take their garbage and spread it on other people you encounter at work, or at home, or on the street. The bottom line is that successfully happy and contented people do not let garbage trucks take over their days. Life is too short to wake up each morning with regrets. So...Love the people who treat you right and pray for the ones who don't."

I'm thinking that if there is some formula for successful living, the "Law Of The Garbage Truck" ought to be included. I'm going to think about that this evening as I enjoy my birthday dinner of hot dogs and baked beans. Seems that ought to be a part of the formula too. It is for me.