Grace Lemley
Nov 6 · 2 min read

To the woman on my left….

This morning we went to the beach down the road from our homestay. It rained most of yesterday and all last night and with that came a much different looking beach than the one we walked too just a few days ago. First I noticed the muddier looking water, and then… the garbage. Lots of it. Styrofoam from all the takeaway food and drink use, rubber bands from tying the plastic bags that the takeaway food and drink comes in, forks that eats the food, and straws that drink the drinks. Plastic water bottles… tons of them. It was quite unnerving and very, very sad after seeing this beach looking pristine just two days ago.

We both put our towels down amidst the litter and said we should do a little beach clean up but agreed we forgot our hand sanitizer and didn’t want to touch some of that “nasty trash.”

Eek. If that doesn’t speak selfish and cowardly I don’t know what does.

Five minutes later I look to our left and I see a young woman forming a small pile of trash in front of where her and her family were planted. Not too long after I noticed her two little boys and husband are participating, and have rakes in their hands. The woman at this point has formed a very large mountain of trash and begins to form another. The family to the left of us notices, and begins to pick up trash in front of them…

I am at this point stunned, and also feeling a bit emotional about the whole thing.

After getting some humility knocked into us, we also start picking up the trash and forming another pile. At this point there are about 12 people helping, and soon a few of the locals from the restaurants above us came down to bring trash bags, more rakes, and even a wheelbarrow.

As I sit here on the beach and admire our new view I am so grateful for that woman to our left. One person. Just one. That’s all it took to encourage 15 others to get off their asses and pick up some trash. I am encouraged by her.

Though I am extremely privileged to have the opportunity to travel across the world and sit on a beach in Thailand, I have no right to “expect” it to look or be as I wish or believe it should-especially if I choose to make a conscious decision to not do anything about it.

Today may we be more like the woman to my left. Initiate responsibility, and practice humanity like it’s the normal thing to do.


Thanks for reading and happy galavanting!

Grace Lemley

Written by

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade