It does not fall on me to take out the trash at our house. Benjamin cheerfully remembers, without help from us, and pulls the bins to the road on Sunday night. I am grateful, and often tell him as much. 

Our home is more pleasant without garbage ripening in the kitchen, or discarded envelopes spilling on to the living room floor. 

But there is an arena in which I do take out trashy stuff. My job responding to Off the Left Eye comments is mostly concerned with pleasant and even inspiring interactions with people I will never meet. They pose questions after watching a video, or express their deep appreciation. Sometimes there is a string of six hundred Amens! that I click the like button for. Which takes a while. 

But mixed in with the gratitude and curiosity, there are posts that need to go away. Not the disagreements, which are part of a healthy conversation. But the slimy friend requests, or blasphemous attacks on God are not welcome. I make those disappear. 

It behooves me to attend to this every day. If I waited for them to pile up, not only would they discolor the entire thread for hundreds of readers, it would be overwhelming for me. Hence, the resolve to make it a routine. 

I find it oddly reassuring, this power to delete hurtful words. I imagine the people whose experience of the channel will be cleaner, and safer.

Which is a good way to start my day.