To me, being told you're a hardworker is one of the biggest and best compliments you could ever receive. Growing up on a farm in Iowa, hard work & long hours of labor were required basically from birth. At a young age, we were helping Grandpa pick up sticks or riding around on the lawn mower with him or the tractor with Daddy. As we got a little older, we began to help feed the cows, & by we, I mainly mean me, my sisters somehow got out of it. Lucky, the baby brother grew up quickly, so he took over that job. Then there were the times we were chasing run away cattle or chopping thistles, which Grandpa paid us 25 cents per head. There was grass to be raked, weeds to be pulled, mulch to be laid. We grew older & then came time for Jordan & I, (Maddie & Tay got out of this one too) to help all the older boy cousins put up hay. Jordan would drive the tractor, I would stand on the lowboy & catch all the hay bails that weighed if not the same as me, or more, & I would stack them up. But I didn't mind this too much at the time, since the neighbor boy would come & help us, & who doesn't love a farmer boy?? I mean let's be real, city boys just don't cut it for this girl.
I grew up being taught & lead by the example of my dad. He is the hardest working man I have ever met. He taught me that if I want something to get accomplished, ten I have to work hard to get it accomplished. Though some times I get frustrated, or irritated, I always come back to that project to finish it. Because work should never go unfinished, in my mind, at least.
My senior year of high school, I was named captain of my cross country team. Though I was elated, I wasn't able to actually be on the team. I had run on the Varsity the years leading up to my senior season, but in my efforts to be the best, & by the best, I mean not come in last place, I hurt my back. To the point where I wore a back brace & frequented the chiropractor, I also became very good friends with my physical therapist. As captain, I only ran in 3 & a half races, the half being I stopped in the middle of our fist race because I just couldn't do it anymore. I've never been a great athlete, but I've always been competitive, & it was the competitive drive that had me determined to finish the season. Though there were many practices where I didn't run, & stood at the top of the hill to cheer on my teammates as they were making the climb, but it broke my heart not to run & be a part of the team that I was named the head of. I ran in a couple of races, on JV, I lost my Varsity spot to some striving, hardworking, & successful freshmen girl runners, but I ran. I placed top 15 in the first two races that I actually finished that season. (Top 15 on JV place & earn team points in most races.)
When the season was ending out, we were up in Sioux City, Iowa about to run in the Conference meet. I wasn't going to run. But it was my last race I was eligible for. As we stood at the start line waiting for the boys Varsity to take off, I turned to my coach & told him I wanted to run. He looked at me, cocked his had to the side & said, "Boo boo, I was hoping you would."I struggled o quickly put on my uniform in a port-a-potty & then joined my team on the start line as they stretched. My little sister, hugged me before the race & told me good luck.
I finished 15th in that race. My time was faster than two of the Varsity runners on my own team.
I finished that race & I cried as I hugged the other senior girls & my sister. My coaches came up to me & hugged me, told me how proud they were of me & how hard I had worked to encourage the team that season.
I do set construction for our theatre department for a credit that applies to my major. I think I impress the director with my power tool knowledge & my expertise in painting flats. It's always so rewarding when I see the finished product & to know that I play a major hand in the construction of it all, & feel very humbled when the director comes up to me to tell me that I'm a hardworker & that he trusts me.
As I've mentioned in other posts, I work as a janitor for the school. Dennis, our maintenance man, always tells me a I'm a great worker & he can always count on me to get the job done, no matter how repulsive the task may be. Last week, I was given the "Panther of the Week" award on our schools bathroom chronicle, "Toilet Talk." It weirded me out to see my name & a picture of me smiling every time I used a public restroom on this campus, however, it felt great to be recognized for my work.
I'm not meaning to brag on any of these things, more to say a huge thank you to those who recognize a good work ethic. There are tons of people every single day who go without recognition from anyone. So take a moment today, & thank someone who has helped you out in any way. I think that we often take too many people for granted, & everyone enjoys being told that their efforts are making a difference.
"The Lord will ope the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season & to bless the work of your hands."
-Deuteronomy 28:12
Peace & love.
B.
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