Another Mans Perception

I spent a lovely weekend enjoying the beautiful California coast line. I like to show my gratitude by taking the time to clean one of our beaches before heading back home. This morning, the day after the fourth of July, the beach in Pacifica was in need of some help. I proceeded out with my big trash bag to walk the beach, there were a lot of people out early enjoying the morning, walking dogs, jogging, fishing and playing. Several people in passing said "thank you" to me, not necessary but nice to hear, others seemed almost uncomfortable with my activity, while a couple actually picked up a few things and added to my bag. Then came the man with four young boys, probably ranging in age from 6 to 12. The tallest and probably oldest of the boys looking at me says "it would suck to have that job" and the man says back "it is ok, there are lots of kinds of jobs" knowing I could probably hear them. Then he proceeds to tell the boys, see that is why you should do good in school so you can go to college and that way you could get a good job! Soooo, a little part of me that still functions from ego twinged! I wanted to inform him of my college degree and gloat about my impressive GPA, and also inform him that I was doing this because I  believe in giving back, I believe in taking care of our earth, I believe.... any way, but I decided it was unnecessary and that wasn't the reason I was there. I learned at a very young age that things are not always as they seem. The man was trying to teach the boys a lesson, the one about how important it is to get an education, good lesson, but there was so much more opportunity there to teach that was missed because it was assumed I was picking up trash because someone was paying me to do so. We see the world with what is inside of us, we see what we are, we don't get in life what we want, we get what we are...