I’m glad that I was raised in the generation that I was raised in. Where working with your hands was valued. Where fixing something on your own was the norm. Where you didn’t call a plumber or a landscaper or a bricklayer, you just put on a pair of gloves and did the work yourself.
That’s how my dad built me. That was his generation’s mantra and the generations before him. There’s value in sweat equity. If I can do it myself, I will at least try.
Our patio has been long overdue for a makeover. It would certainly be easy for me to call a couple of contractors, get quotes, and let a bunch of guys come to our home and do work for us.
But why?
Why pay someone to do work that I can do? Why would I want to give that opportunity away?
If I paid someone to do the hard work, I’d miss the chance to do it myself. I’d miss the opportunity to move & lift heavy things. To work with my hands. To solve problems in real time and create solutions using the talents & tools that I have. To finish the day being sore, dirty and accomplished.
Why would I want to give that opportunity away….?
To be given the chance to work hard is a gift. It’s an opportunity to be the example. To earn it. To live a strong life. A chance to increase my durability, my self-respect, my inner discipline.
The message is simple: Do work. Do it well. Earn it. Everyday. Life is a gift. And the work that goes along with is a gift. Don’t miss the opportunity.
Be the first to comment