The "Crying Indian"

The other afternoon, I was driving around in the county. Just cruisin' and thinking . . . Hoping for a little inspiration. Instead, I found myself feeling like the "Crying Indian" in that commercial from years past. Forgotten him?
Refresher course . . .
The Indian is paddling along in his canoe. Trash is floating in the same waters he is traveling. In the background, large industries are polluting the both the air we breathe and the waters we need. He comes ashore and the shoreline is trashed. And, while the saddened Indian is standing there, some jerk comes along and tosses out a fast food sack full of leftovers at his feet. The tragedy of it all is more than he can take. A tear comes to his eye.
He's been the laughingstock of every late night talk show at one time or another; and, the butt of many a joke.
Is something funny . . .?
We are trashing our planet and further more; we express little remorse.
I pulled into McDonald's drive through to order a soda. Suddenly, from the SUV in front of me, a Dr. Pepper was hurled from the open window. This cute little blonde ran her fingers through her long blonde hair giving her head that little, "I'm cute and I know it" shake; all the while laughing and talking to the girl in the passenger seat. Neither of them the least bit concerned.
I live just off Interstate 20 in Mississippi. Every morning, the exit and entrance ramp is lined with trucks idling away while the truckers sleep. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for these weary truckers getting some zzzzzz's. My beef with them is leaving their garbage when they drive off.
Beer cans, bottles, drink cans, water bottles, sacks of half eaten food, gallon bottles filled with, I don't even want to venture a guess, discarded tires, oh yes, pack after pack of empty cigarette packages; and whatever else they don't want to live with in their trucks dot the roadsides along I-20. I would venture a guess that this is not an isolated incident.
The roadways are lined with garbage placed there by humans. The waterways are filled with garbage discarded by humans with no thought or care as to the damage it can and will do.
Who cares . . .?
The problem is no one seems to fret. After all, this is a free country and I can do whatever I want to. No, my friend, that's, as my dear old dad used to say, "bull pooh pooh." You can't do what ever you want to do when it affects me. And, your garbage offends me.
That same evening, driving home from my excursion around the countryside, a family of deer meandered across the road in front of me. A momma deer with a baby deer in tow stopped in the roadway looked around and crossed over into the woods on the other side. A daddy deer came along a minute or so later.
Ok . . . I don't know for sure it was a momma and daddy deer . . . Work with me, ok?
I do know the baby deer stilled had those cute white spots on it.
My point is it was a pretty sight. It was a serene moment. These kinds of moments may soon disappear.
My problem is our devil may care attitude and our throw away society mentality is destroying our planet. And, we'd better get off our duffs and mend our ways or there will be nothing left for future generations. And, please don't tell me that doesn't matter 'cause you won't be here. Well, doofess, what about your children and grandchildren?
The solution . . .
The solution could really be simple . . . We don't have to wait on politicians to throw around suggestions and maybe years later come up with some law that really won't work. All we have to do is stop trashing our planet. The next time you feel the urge to toss that garbage out the window . . . don't. The next time you feel the need to disfigure our shorelines with your garbage . . . don't. We are selfish creatures, with no concern for the other creatures that are also inhabitants of God's earth. It really is His. We're just stewards of it. And, we're doing a lousy job; I'm ashamed to say. If we would all stop and take a gander . . . I mean a real look around, we might find ourselves like the "Crying Indian."