Garbage In, Garbage Out

How We Feel About Ourselves Is How We Begin To Feel About Everything

I have been picking up litter throughout my neighborhood and around town for about a month. Walking by myself with a trash bag in hand has given me a lot of time to think. 

Recently, I began to wonder about litter, and oddly enough, its origin story. I determined that some of it blew out of trash cans when lifted by the truck's mechanical arm. Some of it originated from homeless encampments under bridges and in wooded areas. But the rest of it, the majority of it, was deliberately thrown on the ground by people.

And while I do not fully understand why people litter, there is a part of me that somewhat understands it.

I know that how I feel inside, many times manifests into everything else I do. Without painting too broad of a stroke, I imagine that is the situation in most cases.

How we feel about ourselves is how we begin to feel about everything, from our relationships to our community to the care of our environment. 

There is this foundational idea that a whole and fully-integrated life is one that loves God with your whole heart and loves your neighbor as yourself. Interestingly, this wisdom suggests that our ability to love outside of ourselves is directly related to our ability to love ourselves. When we do not love ourselves, it is nearly impossible to love others, our community, or our environment. 

But, there are many people, especially young people, who would say that it is impossible to love yourself when you do not even like yourself. 

I understand.

But every strong, healthy tree that produces fruit must first begin as a meager seed that is nurtured in soil. 

In the same way, to become a person that can begin to love yourself, and then love outside yourself, love must be cultivated within. In other words, for something to grow, one must first open the soil for something to be sown.

Question

1. Think of one person from your past or present who loves you. If they were with you right now, what would they would say they love about you? Write those things down and reflect on them this week.

Peace,

Brandon