Advice From an Elder
One of the only things I love about my job is getting to talk to the maintenance guys. The building I work in is so incredibly old and something is always breaking, clogging, leaking, or in some way needing repair. The thing about most of these guys is they're older, like my grandfather's age older, and they have such interesting stories and advice.
My favorite maintenance guy is the one that always comes when the toilets are clogged, hopefully that isn't his only job. His name is Larry and when he talks I can't help but listen, mostly because you have to listen really hard to understand him but at the same time he's always saying something interesting.
Today he came up to let me know he'd fixed the toilets and then he just started talking and talking and it was just so fascinating to listen to him. He told me about his views on the area we live in and the people in the are and about his son who lives in Boulder, Colorado. He talked about how he couldn't understand why women here always wear ankle length dresses and slacks and how it's all in the mentality of the people living in this area and how they're so uptight. I couldn't help but laugh because here I am sitting in slacks and a t-shirt. Personally I just feel like I can move better in pants but mostly I just hate shaving my legs all the time. Anyhow the conversation turned to what I was doing here. Do I plan to make a career out of this? LORD NO! That made me laugh hysterically. I told him how I would like to finish my degree at some point and how my degree was in History. That was one he couldn't figure and he told me how his daughter when she was in college majored in Chemistry and he couldn't figure out what in the world she would do with a degree in such. I think he was trying to say he couldn't figure out what in the world I'd do with a history degree. Either way the conversation continued and went on to how when he was younger he'd always wanted to write but he put it off and put it off. And this is where the lesson comes, you always get some kind of lesson when talking to someone older, don't put things off until you regret them. Don't say, I hope to do this, or I'd like to do that, you just do it. He talked about how important it is that we live our lives while we're young. So many people waste their time doing nothing or partying and getting wasted. He couldn't understand that and honestly, neither can I. He also talked about how he felt about people with degrees in the work force and from what I've seen there's a lot of truth to it. Just because someone has a degree doesn't mean they're qualified for a job. Sadly, in order to get the jobs that I want I need that piece of paper. He also said to me, get the degree because then you can get paid to enjoy the work you do. I agree, it's nearly impossible to get a job that you will love and be able to get paid for it, and even less possible without a degree.
Mostly I really enjoyed sitting here listening to him talk about how important it is not to waste our lives away. He said, too many people don't take advantage of their youth. Enjoy life while you're young and still can because once it's gone you can't get it back. I actually took something away from this conversation and I hope that the next time the toilets are clogged he'll stop by and chat again.
So my friends, please remember not to waste your life away doing nothing or saying you'll get around to it... go out and do it now! Put down that TV remote or magazine, get off the couch, and get out there. One of my favorite examples of this is my friend Alaina. Alaina has two bachelors degrees and a quarter of a Masters degree, but when she decided she didn't really want to do what she'd thought she wanted to do, she dropped the masters. She's now going to culinary school in Portland, Oregon and having an incredible time. I often say to myself, I wish I were brave enough to just drop everything and go and reach for what I find unattainable. Perhaps now I'll stop wishing I were brave and start reaching for my goals.
My favorite maintenance guy is the one that always comes when the toilets are clogged, hopefully that isn't his only job. His name is Larry and when he talks I can't help but listen, mostly because you have to listen really hard to understand him but at the same time he's always saying something interesting.
Today he came up to let me know he'd fixed the toilets and then he just started talking and talking and it was just so fascinating to listen to him. He told me about his views on the area we live in and the people in the are and about his son who lives in Boulder, Colorado. He talked about how he couldn't understand why women here always wear ankle length dresses and slacks and how it's all in the mentality of the people living in this area and how they're so uptight. I couldn't help but laugh because here I am sitting in slacks and a t-shirt. Personally I just feel like I can move better in pants but mostly I just hate shaving my legs all the time. Anyhow the conversation turned to what I was doing here. Do I plan to make a career out of this? LORD NO! That made me laugh hysterically. I told him how I would like to finish my degree at some point and how my degree was in History. That was one he couldn't figure and he told me how his daughter when she was in college majored in Chemistry and he couldn't figure out what in the world she would do with a degree in such. I think he was trying to say he couldn't figure out what in the world I'd do with a history degree. Either way the conversation continued and went on to how when he was younger he'd always wanted to write but he put it off and put it off. And this is where the lesson comes, you always get some kind of lesson when talking to someone older, don't put things off until you regret them. Don't say, I hope to do this, or I'd like to do that, you just do it. He talked about how important it is that we live our lives while we're young. So many people waste their time doing nothing or partying and getting wasted. He couldn't understand that and honestly, neither can I. He also talked about how he felt about people with degrees in the work force and from what I've seen there's a lot of truth to it. Just because someone has a degree doesn't mean they're qualified for a job. Sadly, in order to get the jobs that I want I need that piece of paper. He also said to me, get the degree because then you can get paid to enjoy the work you do. I agree, it's nearly impossible to get a job that you will love and be able to get paid for it, and even less possible without a degree.
Mostly I really enjoyed sitting here listening to him talk about how important it is not to waste our lives away. He said, too many people don't take advantage of their youth. Enjoy life while you're young and still can because once it's gone you can't get it back. I actually took something away from this conversation and I hope that the next time the toilets are clogged he'll stop by and chat again.
So my friends, please remember not to waste your life away doing nothing or saying you'll get around to it... go out and do it now! Put down that TV remote or magazine, get off the couch, and get out there. One of my favorite examples of this is my friend Alaina. Alaina has two bachelors degrees and a quarter of a Masters degree, but when she decided she didn't really want to do what she'd thought she wanted to do, she dropped the masters. She's now going to culinary school in Portland, Oregon and having an incredible time. I often say to myself, I wish I were brave enough to just drop everything and go and reach for what I find unattainable. Perhaps now I'll stop wishing I were brave and start reaching for my goals.
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