Valuing a Job Well Done

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You know how chance or fleeting encounters with people who cross your path can sometimes leave a lasting impression? The man who drove the forklift at the local feed store has become a symbol in our household. He is a reminder that pride in one’s work is something to respect and to strive for – REGARDLESS of the nature of the work.


gargoyle1_wmI have a farm – with animals. This means that I need to buy feed for my animals on a regular basis. For a number of years we bought our feed at the nearby Co-Op feed mill. I would back my truck up to the loading dock doors, go into the office, place my order, and by the time I got back to my truck the feed was neatly loaded into my truck. It was always right, and the counts were always exact (I would buy 20-40 bags at a time). The guy who loaded the bags into my truck used to drive around the warehouse at breakneck speeds on his forklift. His speeds were such that if he miscalculated even a little, he would crash into something. He never did. He was GOOD. He was also happy, friendly, and polite. ALWAYS. This job helped pay his bills and he appreciated that. And I always left feeling happier for having talked to him. He taught me (and I passed this on to my kids) that people who take pride in their work and do it well deserve our respect. This is true no matter what they are doing.

Who are we to judge people on the basis of the kind of job they are doing?

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