Wednesday. Another outdoor work day. Sunny 75. What's not to like? The work, perhaps. I cannot keep ahead of the shedding of branches from the austrees. There are six of them in our yard, and I am happy to have them. But not the mess they make. Seems every time the wind blows more branches and twigs hit the ground. I had plenty to do, notwithstanding I had the same area cleaned two weeks ago.
Neighbor cleaning his spiffy SUV "howdied" me. We passed a few pleasantries about the unending nature of work. And that set me in a nostalgic frame of mind as I continued about my chores.
I recalled a situation that I observed when I was about 13 years of age. My dad had contracted to build a house and he had hired a couple of people to work with him. On a limited basis, I was one of them. What did he pay me? you ask. I think it went something like this. "I need your help on the house. You eat the food I provide and which your mother serves you regularly. Earn your keep. Be on the site at eight o'clock in the morning."
Dad's other employee was an older gentleman. That is to say, he was not only older than I, which is obvious because he was a man, but he was older than my father as well. About ten o'clock, we all took a break, sipped a little coffee and ate an oatmeal cookie while we rested from our labors. Presently, Dad said, "Well, we'd better get back to work."
The Old Man replied, "Oh, my brother, there shall always be work."
I have lived close to sixty-five years since that day, and I have seen absolutely no evidence suggesting that the fellow was in error.
Picture: Pile is much larger than it appears. And all that material was moved 100 yards from the point of pickup. By me.
5 comments:
Right on, Old Man! (not you--the old man in the story!) ;)
My mom taught us to finish our work before we play--seems like I never have time to play. :(
And, indeed, there shall always be work. That man was right. Fortunately, there are people like you who see the need of doing the work. Some would just look at the limbs and curse the tree.
Seems to me that we are made to work. When we don't our bodies atrophy. Nevertheless, the old man spoke truth.
FWIW, yesterday was cold and rainy. A nasty day indeed. A perfect day for the recliner chair with a warm cat in my lap.
Lin, and yet the old adage, "All work and no play..."
Vee, true. Cursing the tree would accomplish nothing, not that I didn't consider that.
Chuck, so then, the unending work that needs to be done is a blessing, for doing it is a basic need: air, water, sustenance, shelter, companionship, work.
Hm, our dads must have known each other...
I like work, I'm a bit of a workaholic. Gardening is lovely work, although removing debris is not so fun. Someday we'll tend to the gardens of Paradise, you think? THAT would be heaven-- always planting flowers, never weeding!
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