The "Orange Toothbrush"

Wow... nearly another year has gone flying by. Amazing... ly depressing.

Just thought I'd mention at this time, because I'm thinking of it, the "Orange Toothbrush".

The Orange Toothbrush has become a symbol of sorts in my life. It is symbolic of anything unwanted in life... the outcast. The story is simple. Several years ago, whilst rifling through my toothbrush options at the local drug mart, preferably finding something stylish, something that fit my personality and something that matched my bathroom, I came across an ordinary, hideously orange toothbrush. I withdrew it from it's shelf position and held it incredulously as I wondered, "who the hell would buy this garish nightmare"? And suddenly, I felt sorry for it. I anthropomorphized this toothbrush, I had hurt it's feelings and felt bad about it's worthless, lonely "life". I saw how it felt as other, more attractive, more stylish and younger toothbrushes were lifted off the shelf daily, sometimes pulled from right beside him, and off they went to their intended use. Worthwhile work, diligently scrubbing daily (hopefully) food scum off of teeth.

As I was later brushing my own teeth with my bright, shiny, new orange toothbrush, that clashed horribly with everything in my bathroom, I felt good about myself. I have often, since that moment, seen lots of other "Orange Toothbrushes" in life. Animals, people... sometimes even myself. It always gives me pause now. Sometimes I feel a slight lumpishness in my throat. Sometimes I'm in position to do something about it... most times, I am not. But I think a lot of this just stems from empathy. I don't think the majority of people on this planet have the capability to feel empathy. Empathy is not something you "understand" or know the definition of, it's something you feel.