Tag: encouragement

My boss (P. 2)

Buy low; sell high- My Boss

Great advice for stocks, but now I have to take these words of wisdom and touch on what they mean to me. Make it a Karate Kid moment when the words that were obvious hid some hidden truth. My boss was a direct man but I like to think he’d be proud of the deeper wisdom I pulled from his words.

Blue and Yellow Graph on Stock Market Monitor

I was an investment. I broke tools and bent parts on tractors trying to do jobs for a man I viewed so highly. He saw something in me despite my knowledge being little and cost being great. He put the time in to watch his investment grow, and then he sold it to the world.

I wasn’t his only one. He knew a diverse portfolio was important. He sent us out in the world to become lawyers, accounts, consultants, and goat herders. Defending, enriching, informing, and nurturing those who come into contact with us. His greatest joy when we visited was discovering how we continued to grow. No longer needing his investing, but now investing in those around us.

Person Holding Pink Piggy Coin Bank

I often wonder how I was fortunate enough to come to meet my boss and stay in his employment. I think back to one of the first time I was working for him. He had left to go do something, and I had quickly finished what work I had. I stood a moment in the large three bay garage waiting for him when I saw leaves blow in. Noticing quite a few leaves had already made it in I grabbed a broom and began sweeping. He returned shortly. I looked up from sweeping. To see him smiling at me.

That’s showing initiative.

I didn’t even know what it meant at the time. Now I know it meant everything.

Making A Difference

What life have you touched today? In what small way did it matter. – The tiny man

We can go through life as a spectator. Never participating and just enjoying the acts of others. Some would say it may even be best. You can watch as good deeds go unnoticed, or good intentions have dire consequences that were never imagined. As a spectator though, you are safe from such things. Your only job is to watch and wonder. It is safe,

Silhouette of Man in Front of Tv

But in that safety comes a heavy price. When you watch others struggle, you do not struggle, but you’ll never know what it is to overcome an adversity with someone. To be that hand that pulls them through and shows them there is still decency in the world, and when you are the one calling out for decency, you will be glad there is a hand reaching out. Struggle also gives us the greatest friends, comrades, and confidants. You learn to trust and be trusted. When you make someone who is hurt or hopeless smile, you will find real joy. The joy of others can lift a person’s broken spirit like few things can. Being the spectator is safe, but loneliness is a price that few should be willing to pay.

Eight Person Huddling

I’m not foolish enough to tell you that it’s some magically thing where whenever you help someone it’ll turn out to change your life for the better. Rather, I’d say people change lives in general. You won’t always know if it will be good or not, but if you play it safe, nothing will change. For some, myself at times, they are okay with that. For most, go boldly forwards and make a difference.