Perspective
I’ve been incredibly frustrated over the last 10 days, emotionally and mentally (but not spiritually)withering under the burden of things not going right and feeling the pressure that can only be understood by those who have responded to a customer opportunity and then felt the wrath of that client when things didn’t go in accordance with plan. Fortunately, you can overcome early challenges as you rebuild faith and trust, but you always have that nagging worry about what next may go wrong. That’s the exact state I’ve been in for the last 10 days or so.
I’m blessed to have great friends and a great family though, and they, through their comments and brilliant one liners, provide me with some perspective and give me some relief from the intense concern. But in the past few days I’ve found another great way to gain perspective too – laundry. Seriously. Doing laundry. I’m not talking about doing my laundry, but feeling a sense of servitude and doing the laundry of others who are working so hard to make things right. In our case, we have 80-90 people who are laboring in 90 degree or more heat with heavy coveralls for at least 12 hours a day. When they come back to their rooms, drenched in sweat and dirt, the last thing they want to do is clean their coveralls. So those of us not allowed, able, or honored to get that dirty are washing the coveralls of those that do. And it’s brought perspective to me as we wash, dry, fold and hand out those coveralls each day now and see smiles from them as one of their burdens have been removed and as they are encouraged to focus on work instead of their grossly soiled work clothes.
I’m reminded constantly that we are placed here on this Earth to serve. I’m also constantly reminded that most folks still act incredibly surprised when anyone in some simple act provides service that is unexpected. Doing the laundry was an unexpected act of servitude returned by those not expecting that act with a smile.
That gives me perspective. That gives me a smile.