How to Learn from a Shopping Cart

Coach Cornell told a story of a father and son. After they had finished shopping, the father, as always, walked a short distance out of his way to put the shopping cart away in one of those dispensers that you find everywhere in the parking lot. His son asked him why he always puts the cart back. It's so easy to just leave it next to the car.

"That's what everyone else does," the son mumbled under his breath.

To this, the father replied,

"There are two kinds of people in this world. Those who put away their shopping carts, and those who don't."

Coach Cornell continued with this story and explained something about how we should have integrity, and be honest, and be the kinds of men who would put away our shopping carts. I admit, I don't remember the story perfectly, nor the life lesson behind it. This story was told to me over 3 years ago. A story about a shopping cart, and I still remember that day in school where he told that story. I don't remember what I learned in math class, I don't remember if that was a bench day or a squat day. What I do remember, is that Coach Cornell's shopping cart story taught a valuable lesson.

I learned from a shopping cart.

I didn't learn the intended lesson from this shopping cart story. I can't look back and say, from that point onward,  that I had more integrity. What I can say is that I can learn a life lesson from a shopping cart. 

Turns out, you don't need an amazing teacher, father figure, or friend to make tomorrow better than today. All you need is a shopping cart. Or a picture of Elvis, or a shiny rock, or an ice cream cone. This world was created as a training ground for us. I don't remember the day I figured out my purpose in life. I guess you could say I was blessed to grow up learning about it. But the day I realized that I am here to learn from my mistakes and get better, must have been a life changing day. We are on Earth for no purpose except to learn, grow, and to help everyone else to learn and grow. We should be happy about that! Excited even. Imagine how much potential we have. Are we holding ourselves back? If our purpose in life is simply to be better, then should we not be improving every second of every day?

We should, and we can.

So here is a call to action for anyone who wants to improve from this little Sunday School lesson. Stop waiting for someone to pop up into your life and teach you how to be a better person. Take a walk outside, look at the beautiful world you live in, and learn from it. Teach yourself a lesson. Sunday Your grandpa probably has some pretty motivational stories, but even he can't teach you a life long lesson like a good ol' shopping cart can. It may be hard to take in, but you can learn from a shopping cart.