What We Leave Behind

It was just another day, nothing conspicuous or special: Gray sky, misty atmosphere, cold moisture pooling at the tip of my nose, an impending drip.  Maggie, Wally and I turned the corner at the end of our dead end street, and headed onto the wide grassy easement that our neighbor allows for accessing the trail system in the woody part of our neighborhood, a broad swath that my neighbor, Cooper’s mom, calls “The Boulevard.”  Maggie is predictable: she always poops at this turn.  And I always pick it up in a little black bag to carry home and put in the bin.  It’s routine.  Like I said, nothing special.  Except on this day, the man who lives on this parcel was driving away and stopped to say, “Thanks for picking it up.”

“Of course. We always do,” I replied, probably with a furrowed brow of puzzlement because, of course I pick it up.

“I know,” he went on, “but not everyone does, and it gets into the tires of my lawn mower and then I track it back into the garage.” 

It had never crossed my mind to leave Maggie’s mess behind; it’s just something you do, pick up the pooh.  But it also never occurred to me that aside from the unpleasant experience of noticing it or worse, stepping in it, there could be more far-reaching implications from leaving it unattended.

It’s easy to overlook the impact of our actions on those around us. Whether it’s the seemingly inconspicuous act of leaving behind dog poop or something intangible, our disregard for the consequences can create unexpected and negative outcomes for others. We must be mindful of what we leave behind. It matters.  Our thoughtless actions can tarnish the lives (and garages) of those who follow in our footsteps. This extends beyond the literal mess left by a pet; the intangible remnants of our behavior—our words, attitudes, and choices—can linger in the lives of others in ways we can not anticipate, and perhaps, ever know.

Being mindful of what we leave behind involves recognizing the potential consequences of our actions and taking responsibility for the impact we have on others. By adopting a “clean as you go” mentality, we contribute to creating a more considerate and compassionate world—one where the metaphorical dog poop is diligently picked up, ensuring that we leave behind a positive imprint rather than an unpleasant mess for others to clean up. Pick up the poop.

This week’s tangle tutorial is Side-Winder by CZT Laurie Patterson.