Condom Catalysts...

Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are
Princesses who are only waiting to see us act,
Just once, with beauty or courage.
Perhaps everything that frightens us is,
In its deepest essence, something
Helpless that wants our love.
-Rilke

This is a picture from the Ben Burr Trail where I exercise. Today as I was going along the far end of the trail which is about a half mile from our block, I noticed how clean the trail was. I came up to the trail from Liberty Park, and that part was a mess, with garbage strewn all over from the long winter. But as I got on the trail, I noticed all the litter had been removed. The trail was clean, greening and looked natural. I was enjoying the labor of someone else for sure. But as I approached the half way mark, the covered bridge, I wondered what the other half of the trail would be like. A major road sepperates both sides of East Central and one side is often different than the other.

Sure enough, soon as I came out of the covered bridge onto my side of the neighborhood...the garbage was there. In fact, there was a number of beer cans littered across the trail, a garbage bag and of course...a used condom and wrapper.

I was disgusted, but not surprised, its a common site around here. In fact I saw another one by the time I had exited the park. People get it on in 'dem thar woods. In fact I found a condom in the wrapper in my drive way the other morning too...got to love it.

I found myself a bit frustrated as I covered the condom with a big rock...what do people think when they are just strewing such a beautiful place with such crap? Below is the beautiful part of the trail...as it should be and how our end should also be with care and consideration. So in response to this little experience and series of observations, I am going to organize a UnderHill Park & Ben Burr Trail Clean Up Day in the coming weeks.
This will accomplish two things:
1. Expose people to the wonderful Park & Trail and hopefully encourage people to include it in their recreation and...
2. Help maintain a sense of pride and responsability in caring for our neighborhood and the treasures such trails are.

Amazing what a condom can do...