Gratitude Day #27
Today I am grateful for the opportunity to work.
I've had tremendous examples in my own family of people who believed in hard work. I will begin with my own father.
Dad's education was scant, but he could do just about anything and build just about anything. He spent his years as a coal miner, a foreman at a Pepsi-Cola plant, and worked in maintenance at Westinghouse. In addition to those jobs, he had his own business of repairing refrigeration and air conditioning from skills he learned in the Navy.
Mom didn't work outside the home much, but she did clean for a lady while she was expecting me. All of these years I wondered where who I was named after. It was the lady she worked for. When I was in elementary school, she was one of the cafeteria ladies. Everybody loved the cafeteria ladies!
My sisters were all in the medical field, working long hours standing on their feet as registered nurses and x-ray technicians. The men they married weren't slackers at all. They worked hard to provide for their families.
Kerry's dad went to night school for eleven years to obtain his CPA, in addition to the huge dairy farm, a shopping center, and other enterprises he owned and operated.
Me, well...I raised kids. And, I do genealogy.
But, I want to repeat a story about Mr. Kerry...
Kerry worked as a Letter Carrier for 30 years. It is during this time of year that I am grateful that he retired 10 1/2 years ago. He walked on average 7 miles a day, no matter the weather. He walked when it was cold, rainy, snowing, or blistering hot.
Though he had a uniform allowance, there was a time many years ago that he wore out his shoes before the allotment came due. We didn't have much money, but he had to have black shoes. So, we went to KMart and bought what we could.
Through the busyness of raising children, I didn't think to ask him how they were working out. When I did, he simply said, "Oh, they'll feel a bit better when they're broken in."
A few days later, I went to the basement to do laundry. As I was sorting it all out, I noticed some clothing was very stiff. It was his socks. Every pair was bloodied around the ankles. He had walked and walked and never complained once.
I sat down and wept. This kind and gentle giant has been willing to do whatever it took to provide for his family - even when it hurt. Again, I have learned a lesson in not whining.
Such a good man...
My parents would tell me there is no shame in the job you do, but there is in your performance of that job. That's why when I commit to something, you will never have to worry about it again. It will be done with me working my hardest.
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