There’s a thoughtful piece published this morning about Summer jobs.
It reminds us the harsh, blue-collar stuff we often did in our teens and early 20’s paid real cash and valuable dividend that can go unnoticed.
Three cases in point: A young immigrant woman works her ass off in a drycleaning shop surrounded by rude chemicals and even ruder customers, going on to a 30 year career guiding a legendary global fashion brand.
The offpsring worked in a noisy-greasy-nasty-hectic burger shop, coming home exhausted and smelling of fried food every night, her hair and skin a greasy mess.
Today she consults to the world’s brands on their
interactive web presence.
I mixed concrete for a stone mason in freezing winter, so cold I had to add antifreeze to the water.
First my fingers, then my hands grew so numb from hypothermia I eventually couldn’t feel the coarse cinderblocks on my raw fingertips.
I didn’t want to do that for the rest of my life.
So I wound up bouncing back and forth across the Atlantic for 20 years, splashing light around in museums and fashion events and the occasional trade show.
The point is, in each case we were taught important lessons about working hard for a living.
If you can remember something similar
you are a better person for the drive and the character you gained.
I’ll bet today you can always feel your fingertips, too.
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