Stop Complaining - Do Something

by Cheng
(Beijing China)

On the way from my home to school, there are three intersections. Every morning and afternoon, there are many cars, bicycles and people crowding the street. I always complain about the heavy traffic.

Almost everybody complains constantly. The walkers complain that the cars look like crazy mice. The drivers complain the walkers are like blind men as they take no notice of the traffic lights.

We complain the policemen don't deal with the taxis that park illegally outside the subway station. We also complain about the heavy pollution, and about too many plastic shopping bags.

In fact we seem to complain about almost everything.

However, have you ever thought what we can about it? Before we complain we should ask ourselves this simple question. What should we do when a traffic light shows red?

Several months ago, I took a bus and it stopped at a crossroad. I looked out of bus window and saw that the intersection was in confusion.

All the people were moving in the crowded traffic stream. I saw a lady wearing a red dust coat standing at the edge of a zebra crossing waiting to cross the road. It was a like a beautiful picture to me at that moment. I will never forget that scene.

When we complain about the traffic, we don't seem to realize it is a problem that we ourselves cause.

I have another story I would like to tell you.

An old gentleman always took his own chopsticks whenever he had dinner in a restaurant. He refused to use disposable chopsticks. People were curious and asked why? He said, I just want to do something for forest conservation.

The others laughed at him: Do you think you can save the forest by refusing to use one pair of chopsticks? The old man said: I don't think I can, because I can't ask the others to do the same as me. But I can tell myself to do the right thing.

I believe this is true. Just complaining can not solve problems.

Why not try to do something to help? If you hate the illegally parked taxi, don't take it any more. If you hate the plastic shopping bag, take your own bags when you go shopping. If you are a driver, wait for the walkers to cross the road, or if you are a walker, take notice of the traffic lights. Don't try to cross when the light is green.

Don't just complain, take responsibility for yourself.

Let's stop complaining, and do something.