I was reading an old book I pulled off a dusty shelf and it was about the life of Johnny Cash and as I thought about life on a farm in a tiny swamp town in Mississippi the thought came to me that life just ain’t fair. Some of us have had it so easy in our lives and some have had it so hard. It appears almost that some folks just get a free ride in this world and others of us seem to be pulling the cart all the time. And then one day some of us notice that the guy pulling the cart has a smile on his face and a song in his heart and the guy riding in the cart has a sour look on his face and is complaining.
Now many would not consider the work I have done in my life hard work and it in the longest period of my life I was talking or writing or thinking what I would say or write but there were times that I worked myself to a point of near exhaustion out there on the platform on a hot day under hot lights giving an audience everything that I had in me.
On Monday I was sitting on a bench in Walmart waiting for my lady love and an old gent passed by pushing a mop and he was humming and I noticed that he was taking special care to do the job just right. I smiled up at him and said to him, “I’ve done that.” And gave me a big smile back and then I told him that I could see he knew what he was doing and he was doing the job right. He grinned and said, “There is only one way to do it and that is the best I can. Sure wish I could teach the young folks that.”
That old gent said more than I could with those few words than I could if I wrote all day. Yes, there is dignity in any job that is well done and there is pride and joy available too and so maybe those who are pulling the cart or mopping that floor are the lucky ones after all.
Love your simple yet profound insights, Art!
Art, you’ve nailed this one again. Even when doing my household tasks, it seems I have a much better evening when I know that I’ve done my best throughout the day. You are spot on when you say, “…there is dignity in any job that is well done…”. By the way, I had no idea your Platinum Rule books was now on Kindle. I read this book almost twenty years ago and it’s still as relevant today as it was back then. Bless you, Art!