I was thinking about…

Leaving This World Better Than We Found It

by Andy Lee

A traveler witnessed something unexpectedly uplifting at the airport recently. As he used the bathroom, he noticed a sharply-dressed businessman meticulously wiping down the sink after washing up – putting in serious elbow grease to leave it spotless.

Assuming the man worked there, the traveler playfully asked, “You a part-time janitor or something?” Without missing a beat, the well-groomed stranger smiled: “Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all left it cleaner than we found it?”

Mind. Blown. Such simple wisdom!

How often do we consciously uphold that principle? We’re all just renting temporary spaces, yet basic courtesy towards our surroundings feels like an afterthought. Not for this gentleman – enhancing shared areas with active hospitality was clearly a point of pride.

I’m not advocating extreme custodial missions erasing all human traces. And I get the “not my circus” instinct when personal investment feels limited. But doesn’t leaving things slightly better represent the bare minimum civic duty?

We can’t control others, but we can positively influence spaces by departing them better than inherited – even incrementally. Topping off borrowed vehicles, extra cleaning rentals/hotels, grabbing some trail litter – it all counts.

At the core, mindfully enhancing our temporary environments is the bare minimum owed to the circle of life sustaining us all. And those little actions have a beautiful way of rippling into inspirational trajectories impacting others.

So I’ll strive carrying that airport wisdom: Not just maintaining status quos, but actively identifying opportunities to create cleaner, more hospitable way-points for the next occupant through simple conscious efforts. And I will continue to return my shopping cart to the corral. A high-impact way of being a better human wherever I’m stationed.

Stay courteous, keep enhancing existence!