That's right. I let them
I know. I feel so dumb and childish. Part of my brain is like, "Just pick up the freaking ice cube and put it in the sink, Lauren!" But the other part of my brain is saying (in a low raspy voice), "Lauren, you've spent your life picking up dropped ice cubes. You deserve to be able to let that ice cube melt on the floor. Not picking up the ice cube will make you like God..." (Okay, so maybe not that last part.) But even then... when I walk away, I feel guilty.
Similar internal wars happen regularly. For example: when I walk past the refrigerator and the sheer wind force of my body passing by causes pictures/papers (held up by flimsy magnets) to fall from the fridge to the ground...and I am then faced with a choice--will I pick up the picture...or walk past like nothing happened?
It's like when you're shopping at the store and a clothing item that you barely touched falls off the hanger as your shoulder simply grazes the shirt sleeve. You want to pass by. Pretend that you didn't see what just happened. It wasn't really your fault anyways...you hardly touched it. You glance around...no one else saw the shirt fall to the ground. You could get away with it.
But if you're anything like me, both in regards to pictures falling off fridges and clothing sliding off hangers at department stores, you will take two steps away and try to ignore the sense of responsibility you feel toward said fallen item. But something in your genetic makeup will not allow you simply walk away. So you turn around and hang the shirt back up.
Personally, I always leave those situations feeling slightly frustrated with myself for not being able to ignore my conscience over such a small thing. Why can't I just walk away?!
