I Believe In Hard Work

My parents are hard-workers. They always have been. They still are. My father is a long distance trucker. He’s been doing it for 40+ years. He’s 73 now and guess what? He’s still truckin! My mother put 32 years in at an automotive factory. She often worked 10-12 hour days, 7 days a week. She retired nine years ago and believe me, it makes me smile just thinking of how deserving she is to be enjoying retirement at the moment. We’re still working on dad to join her. He’s getting closer, but I doubt he’ll ever give it up completely. It’s just not in his blood to be a piddling ‘ole retired man who plays Bingo all day. My parents enjoy life though. They’ve started reaping the benefits of their hard work. They camp, they vacation, they go out to dinner, bless others, and they have fun. That’s what it’s about – work hard when you can so you can enjoy life later.

There are many things my parents have taught me through the years, but the value of hard work sticks out the most – probably because I SEEN it lived out daily. I not only had it drilled into my brain from day one, but I had two good role models who practiced what they preached. Here are other tidbits I’ve picked up along the way:

1) You start at the bottom and you work your way up.
2) Never be above cleaning toilets or sweeping floors.
3) Always put in an honest day's work .
4) Keep the gripes to yourself.
5) The world owes you nothing.

And the best lesson I’ve learned thus far and continue to pass on to my kiddos: life isn’t fair, get used to it!