Clean-Up Day
“We can do no great things, only small things with great love.”
We were recently on a trip where we noticed a ton of trash in a particular neighborhood. It really stuck out to us and we thought, “Why don’t people pick up this trash!!?”
We started lamenting about how sad of a situation it is when communities or people become apathetic and/or helpless to change their surroundings. It wasn’t that there were just a couple empty cups or plastic bags, it was serious littering & neglect in this particular neighborhood- enough to fill several dumpsters.
Well, of course it was not long after Philip and I were lamenting about the sad situation that I saw a Facebook event pop up on my feed about a trash Clean-Up day in our own town. So, we felt we should definitely participate!
One photo can’t possibly capture the extent of the trash in this area – it lined the roads and fences for at least a couple square miles. But you get the idea.
I knew RA & I probably wouldn’t be much help other than moral support, but KC got right in there and helped pick up trash!
We were in an area with some prickly plants, so Philip was brave & dug out some of the more deeply hidden trash and then KC put it in the bag from there. We were near a hotel, and given how windy it was that day, we realized how easy it probably is for trash to get blown from dumpsters into the brush & thicket areas.
Philip went above and beyond! (And should have worn different shoes – the ground was soggy back a little further near a creek!)
One person in the group found this old boot! And then someone found $5.
Our family worked for only maybe 45 minutes, but many hands made light work! The rest of the group kept working on but our little ones were getting chilly so we decided to head home.
After picking up all the trash, we started becoming more aware of other trash that had become scattered around roads or nature areas. At home, KC spied with his little eyes something plastic in our own yard to pick up!
We were reminded by all of this that we all need to do our part in our own corner of the world. If everyone does a little good on their own, it makes a lot of good in the world!
In loving memory of Krysten’s grandpa, who always made it his habit to pick up trash when he saw it, and left places better off. “Do a good turn daily.”
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