I was recently asked by a colleague if our level of committment is really noticed. And I said no, not because our bosses don’t appreciate us (I’m sure they do, and they tell us routinely), but mainly because just about every person gets so wrapped up in their own life that he or she tends to forget that we all live in extraordinary times. This is just human nature to me. Even if we are surrounded by exceptional people (which I would say that I am), it takes another level of maturity, or diligence, or some other abstract concept, to step back and be thankful for that, and to acknowledge that on a routine basis.
I mean, that’s the reason we get all those “Seize the Day” and “I Hope you Dance” email forwards from our families, right? Because we all know, on some subconscious level, that it takes a little external prodding for each of us to get a tad bit more perspective. If you remember that there was something which Google search managed to supercede, (it’s called an encyclopedia, kids) then you certainly have enough world experience to appreciate how much better technology has made our lives in the past ten years.
When I was a kid, my dad was working 75 hour weeks to provide for us while my Mom held it down at home – this wasn’t a sexist thing, it was what they agreed to as a couple. My Mom would bring us to his pharmacy so we could spend time with him. I bring this up because of I want to raise two points:
1) I didn’t feel gypped as a kid, even though this wasn’t exactly an ideal working situation – we had a great childhood, and I still have a good relationship with my Dad.
2) It’s an example of my parents making the situation work for the family.
Somehow, I entered the working world with this model in my head about what I expected from the workplace, and no place on earth could possibly live up to it. Some places failed by a wide margin. Some places failed by the standards of my ideals, but succeeded in areas and categories that I couldn’t have imagined. I’m lucky to be surrounded by people who give a shit, and sometimes giving a shit leads to some cynicism and bitterness. I accept that as part of the “giving a shit” package. Hopefully we can all make peace with the world failing our ideals on a routine basis and not let it extinguish our passion for making a difference.
Meluski out.
