leave it... or grab it?

Minnesota fact: The more people there are at a dinner party, the less likely anyone will take the last piece of food. 

And I love that. :)

I've seen it happen, and it took me four get-togethers to notice it. It's quite charming, actually... a part of "Minnesota nice" culture.

It's also at times a fun social experiment. I've watched the last brownie get cut in half, then halved again and again, until only a sliver is left. And nobody takes that sliver.

That is, not counting the times that I just grabbed the last bite for myself. I'm serious... I've seen food go bad because no one would take it as the last piece. That's food neglect. I think there's a law from the Geneva Convention about it.

"I'm only just doing my part in making things right," I mused.

I've watched mouths drop when I do this, too.

I decided to "grab it" after they decided to "leave it."

(That's what happens when "Chicago swagger" meets "Minnesota nice.")

But let me be clear - I love all of this and the people who grew up differently than I did. This is my state-wide neighborhood I get to live in... my new culture that is different than the culture of my upbringing. And I have a choice in how I interact with it.

Let me balance that out with some transparency, too.

When I was growing up, it was common for my family to throw trash out our car window.

Before you get angry with me, know that I don't do this anymore. I'm talking about back when all fast food came in Styrofoam containers, and we ate it in our seatbelt-less station wagons (without air conditioning or FM radio) while spraying hair spray out of an aerosol can (because no knew what the ozone was).

So we'd eat some McDonald's, put all the garbage all in a bag, and toss it onto any random street or highway.

"Someone will do their part and make things right," I mused.

I've watched mouths drop when I share about this with my kids.

Because one day... I realized this was "not good."

And then another day... I realized that not only was this not good, but I was a part of a problem that needed a solution.

And then, yet another day... I started to see wherever I live as a special place I'm entrusted to help take care of.

Environmental health is, at its core, coming to realize these things.

Where are you, and what does it mean to be there?

And when it comes to the culture you're taking part in there:

• What habit about living/working in your environment is worth grabbing?
• What habit about living/working in your environment is worth leaving?

Genesis 2:15 shares that "The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it." What if that isn't just a story from the past, but a dare for today (and beyond)?

Because I'm wondering what this looks like into the next decade for you and me. Whatever you believe about climate change, I think you'd agree with me that it isn't invulnerable.

And that's not only true of the physical environment you live in, but also the cultural environment you're in. There are people who are affected when you "leave it" or "grab it."

I dare you to wrestle with that... wherever you are.