why I clean public toilets

Dear you,

I spent some time reflecting today and realized that I constantly clean public toilets for free! I also figured out why. I first noticed this at the cinema and then at airports, aeroplanes, theatres, and restaurants. I'm sure you need more context, so here it goes:

When I go into a public toilet that is messed up, I feel obligated to clean it if I decide to use it. If I choose not to use it, I feel obliged to let the cleaners know it is messed up. As soon as I decide to use it, I have to pick up loose tissue on the floor, clean pee splatter, and just leave it in better condition than I met it. I never really knew why until recently when I reflected on a few experiences. I'll share one.

I was flying to a country in Europe one day, and as I walked into one of the restrooms on the plane, a lady ran to me and said, "Hi, I left a mess in there… didn't know how to fix it". I walked into the toilet and saw that she had left the tissue paper unfurled on the floor. Pee was splashed on the floor and toilet seat. It was just a mess. I picked up the tissue and cleaned the floor and toilet seat with the tissue and sanitiser. I washed my hands, sanitized and left it better than I met it. It wasn't too far from my experience at a cinema where there was a queue to use the toilet. When it was my turn, I walked in and met a mess. I was stuck! I couldn't come out and say, "The person before me messed it up", so I had to figure out a way to clean it up, or else I would explain tire, no evidence. Anyway, I cleaned it up and gave the person coming after me a better experience. I didn't like how I felt when I met a messy toilet, so I wanted the next person to have a better experience, and beyond that, I didn't want anyone to feel like I left the mess. There's no one I can explain to that it wasn't me. If I feel ashamed by the thought, then I should fix it.

Here's what I believe: if someone leaves a mess on the floor beside me, I can complain about it, or I can fix it. If I don't fix it, and all I do is complain, when I can do something about it, I am complacent. I am part of the problem. So, I believe this strongly, and in any situation, if I find myself complaining about something, I ask myself, can I do something about it? If I can, I do and give the next person a better experience.

I remember reading about a man who picked up trash on the street for no good reason other than the fact that he thought the world should be a cleaner place than it is, and this was his contribution to making streets cleaner.

If I say my mission is to leave people and environments better than I meet them, it cannot only be when it's fancy and convenient. It has to be, even when it is a little uncomfortable.

So yup! That's why I clean public toilets. Think deeply about things that represent public toilets around you. What would be better if you stepped in? Do you leave people and places better than you meet them? Think about it.

With Love,

Blessing Abeng