I Am Grateful For My Life Lessons
I spent 30+ years working in commercial printing. Landfill, I created landfill. I would eventually wind up in a job handling the production of children's books. I loved it. I love the smell of the ink, the feel of the stock, turning of the pages...all of it.
Coworkers for one reason or another would have their children with them and I would hear the young voices, "Daddy, can I go see the "book lady"?" Then the patter of little feet towards my cubicle where I was waiting for them. The bottom drawer of the lateral file had the goods they were looking for. A book and a tootsie roll pop. Their small bodies would curl up in a corner and wait quietly for Dad.
I never thought much of the impact my work was bringing to the world. In my world, it was paying the bills of my family of three as I was the breadwinner. Maybe just too tired to think much further than the next chore. It wasn't until late last week that I would be made aware of my worldly impact.
Having moved out of my home state, I find myself making the best of yet another career. I am now the "shipping lady". Apparently, truck drivers are often ignored or treated some sort of way that I won't have any part of. Hard working men, earning a living away from family and friends, I feel a great deal of respect for them.
This driver was in my window on Friday afternoon. He was telling me of his loyalty to his favorite team and couldn't believe that he was seeing a shirt with the "other team's logo". He went on to tell me that his daughter was a teacher and how she had gotten accepted to "his team's school" and how proud he was of her. He continued to let me know that although she had been accepted, she chose another institution. A rather good one at that.
He spoke of how she wasn't the greatest student until she read the book he bought her as a gift. That title changed her life. I could see that he was no longer with me in spirit. His body was there in front of me, but his spirit was remembering his little girl as if he went back in time.
Tears welled up in my eyes as he spoke. My office full of men who are so much younger and have only seen the tougher side of my callused old body. They don't know the real me, because the soft, kind me has only been taken advantage of both in industry and life. A lesson I have wished never to learn too often.
The driver finally came back from his far away place and looked at my smile and tears. His quizzical look prompted my explanation: "Sir, I handled the first printing of those titles, both case bound and paperback. It never dawned on me the impact that my work would make. Thank you for sharing your story with me. I feel worthy for the first time in my career."
Coworkers for one reason or another would have their children with them and I would hear the young voices, "Daddy, can I go see the "book lady"?" Then the patter of little feet towards my cubicle where I was waiting for them. The bottom drawer of the lateral file had the goods they were looking for. A book and a tootsie roll pop. Their small bodies would curl up in a corner and wait quietly for Dad.
I never thought much of the impact my work was bringing to the world. In my world, it was paying the bills of my family of three as I was the breadwinner. Maybe just too tired to think much further than the next chore. It wasn't until late last week that I would be made aware of my worldly impact.
Having moved out of my home state, I find myself making the best of yet another career. I am now the "shipping lady". Apparently, truck drivers are often ignored or treated some sort of way that I won't have any part of. Hard working men, earning a living away from family and friends, I feel a great deal of respect for them.
This driver was in my window on Friday afternoon. He was telling me of his loyalty to his favorite team and couldn't believe that he was seeing a shirt with the "other team's logo". He went on to tell me that his daughter was a teacher and how she had gotten accepted to "his team's school" and how proud he was of her. He continued to let me know that although she had been accepted, she chose another institution. A rather good one at that.
He spoke of how she wasn't the greatest student until she read the book he bought her as a gift. That title changed her life. I could see that he was no longer with me in spirit. His body was there in front of me, but his spirit was remembering his little girl as if he went back in time.
Tears welled up in my eyes as he spoke. My office full of men who are so much younger and have only seen the tougher side of my callused old body. They don't know the real me, because the soft, kind me has only been taken advantage of both in industry and life. A lesson I have wished never to learn too often.
The driver finally came back from his far away place and looked at my smile and tears. His quizzical look prompted my explanation: "Sir, I handled the first printing of those titles, both case bound and paperback. It never dawned on me the impact that my work would make. Thank you for sharing your story with me. I feel worthy for the first time in my career."
