3 bags off the beach is three bags not in the sea so actually really important - imagine if everyone did that I saw a video earlier in the week wheere a boat crew had spotted a dolphin splashing and coming up for air but obviousely in distress so they went over and jumped in and found it was caught in a net - they couldnt cut it off in the water so hoisted it on board cut it off put the dolphin back in the sea turned their attention to the net started pulling it out and discovered two turtles in it as well which they were also able to free -thats one net which would probably have fitted into your three bags and three lives saved.
But even if you dont live near the sea picking it up anywhere is just as important because it blows into waterways and ends up in the sea as well. And it isnt just what we do but the way we send a message out to others - those who see us doing it.I spotted two of my grandsons in the summer with a huge black bag and asked them what on earth they were up too - they had been to the river for a swim in the early evening found the bank covered in rubbish gone and got the bag and filled it - and it isnt even just the ones who know you that you influence - so many times if you start doing it total strangers young and old will come over and join in. (As you can tell this is a passion of mine
)
Janimb the point really of the second paragraph is that we do very much influence others by what we do and those are the little things that help us carry on, the person who smiles and says good morning on a bad day can brighten our days so much so even though you may never know it when you do that yourself, by saying hello to a stranger you may be doing exactly the same, and so often we feel there is no point in being here after our loss, but there is a point it may be obvious if we are standing on the right corner at the right time and grab some-ones child who was about to run out into the road or bother to stop the boat and see what is distressing that dolphin and far more often we may not see it, but where we are and how we behave at any given time does make a difference.
So yes Brian 0the woman was unfriendly, we dont know why she made an assumption (unless you actually were wearing a mankini
) and maybe it was based on her own experience of life, but the point was you grabbed the dog and an animals life is valuable too as i know you appreciate.