One of the most useful household items ever invented is the common, ordinary wastebasket. Or maybe it’s what a trash can represents? A room with no trash bin goes down hill fast.

In the area of emotional health, the option to get rid of offending, unwanted ideas and attitudes is also very important. There has got to be a way to move on. I AM NOT A VICTIM—one of the most important concepts ever! (If I don’t have a way to get rid of trash in my life, then I am thinking like a victim.)

“When we choose to see ourselves as a victim, those around us become perpetrators.” This key to understanding the world around me isn’t really mine—I’m borrowing it from a book called “Generation Z Unfiltered”.

Yesterday I personally cleaned up (removed) the beginnings of a one person homeless camp in our neighborhood park. Ok, ok, I understand there are lots of ways to look at the homeless around us. Just so you know, this was NOT done lightly without reflection and due consideration.

I arrived at the campsite mid-morning. There was no one “home” so I went to work. The numerous small branches stacked around the perimeter were returned to a nearby brush pile. There was an old basketball, a deflated swim inner tube, five or six foam floor pads, eight or ten wooden stakes, an old plastic real estate sign and a bit of wire. All went into a trash bag and then taken the 50 yards back to the street.

It took me fifteen minutes to restore natural beauty to the lightly wooded park area. It was only then that I saw details I hadn’t noticed before. The wire fence behind the park was spread to permit access from a slightly worn pedestrian trail along the outside of this fence. An inconspicious landmark pointed from the path toward the site’s access point. Let’s just say it had all the makings of a first class camp.

Brenda and I noticed the camp site several days ago while on an early morning walk in the neighborhood. It didn’t look like it was currently in use—-just the makings of a really nice set up in the future.

Here’s one of the reasons I chose to remove the potential homeless camp: “It is not a good idea to shield others from the consequences of their actions.” (I am empowering disfunction if I pretend not to see.......)

Here’s the second reason I removed the homeless camp: “When we choose to see ourselves as a victim, those around us become perpetrators.” I am offering the builder of that campsite a gift—-motivation to move out of a victim mentality. I don’t want them to become too comfortable at this delightful camp site.

In my own life, I choose to have a trash can handy. I choose to move on. I am not a victim. I have a voice. I have a choice.

My self talk should not center on “What’s wrong with me?”

Rather, my self talk should be “This is what happened to me!”

(The events of my life do not define me. I can change. I am not a victim.)

Reality check: How do I view the people around me?

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Later…. The trash can photo was taken in our local hospital’s emergency room. Not really my idea of a good way to spend most of a spring day. ……..but that’s where most of this blog was written. I choose to make lemonade out of lemons.

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The bottom line: Do I empower irresponsibility in the lives of others?