When you see a weed, pick it.
Going through life we see many things in our way that need to be mended, fixed or just adjusted. And, I do not mean people, just things.
Walking by and not even trying to care for the problem in and of itself is not bad. The problem lies in who’s problem is it then??
I walked into the bathroom at work and saw four paper towels on the floor. They were “clean” in other words not used, just throw to the floor under the sink.
I wrestled with picking them up and decided not to. I did my business and walked out. The paper weighed on my mind so much that I found myself thinking of my nasty attitude for hours afterwards.
Having to use the bathroom after six hours, I found myself faced with the same four pieces of paper in the same place again. I was furious that the person who dropped them did not pick them up and even more furious with myself for not wanting to do it.
The next day at home, I confessed to my husband that I was a creation for not picking it up. He laughed and told me that he understood my dilemma but since the moment had passed that I should get over it.
I thought of my daughter and tried to imagine what she would say about my self flagellation, ” That is very honorable Mom but you did not do it.” And then after a moment’s thought she would say as kindly as she could, “You making a religion out of this?”
Doing the right thing is all fine and good but trying to turn situations into a religious right makes us prudish, blockheads and prigs. Move on, next thing, live in the moment of your life and not in the regrets of the last few minutes.
When you are walking in the garden and see a weed, lean over and pick it. If you do not, the moment has passed and do it next time and learn from that . Look around you and be attentive to what needs to be done and do it with grace instead of duty.
Things done out of duty make us rigid and unconforming to the time we are in. Move on to the next moment that you are in, the next step you have taken and leave what was not done behind.
If you dwell on what you have not done in the past, you will not allow any time for the present since you will be so preoccupied with past failures.
This does not mean that we cannot self test and search, it just means that do it and move on.
Two monks were walking and saw a beautiful woman trying to cross the river. They carried her to the other side and walked on. The younger monk suggested to the older one that they should not have done that. “I have left her back at the river,” said the older monk.
Move on. Live in the moment you are experiencing and learn from your mistakes without hindering your progress by regrets.