Sunday, August 20, 2017

THERE ARE NO SMALL JOBS OR BIG JOBS. EXCELLENCE COVERS IT ALL.




You have seen this picture of the street sweeper before, so with the quote by Martin Luther King Jr. below; so have I many times. But it's something we need to be reminded of so often. We need to see this again and again and again until our eyes drop. Because we always forget. We consider life as a ... let me see..... a pizza pie! Oh yes... we crave for it, relish it, and then when sated forget about it. Then one other new day the craving comes back, again we indulge, and then forget about it... again!
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But Life is something else unlike a pizza pie.
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Life is so much more and it deserves even so much more from us. And that simply put means ---- hard work.. seriousness... dedication... diligence... brilliance... creative juices... intelligence... and whatever else a man would do with his best talent and all.
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Here's what I heard Mom say to my kid brother one day long ago; that day when he wasn't feeling in top form and the stuff he was supposed to finish didn't meet Mom's scrutiny. In short, tinatamad!
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---- "Don't allow this 'that will do'- attitude (in Tagalog.. 'pwede na') to take you down the steps of mediocrity. You can't and shouldn't be content with only a half-hearted effort or simply just about one-third of your energy or just put in a so-so performance. Nor leave a task hanging in mid-air just because you don't feel up to it. Be firm with yourself. Give it your best shot whatever the role you are made to play in life or asked to do at work or at play. Being mediocre isn't in God's dictionary. In fact, God created plenty of opportunities for you to become better or the best. No argument to that. So temper your moods with discipline. "
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Well, brother had it coming to him just because his inspiration suddenly fell flat. But he listened and went back to the task with firmer resolve. The story ended well and I learned much that day. There is no midway to excellence. Discipline will get you there. Mom was a stern teacher not only in her classrooms but much more in her home.
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There is no excuse for mediocrity. There are no small jobs or big jobs. Excellence covers it all. We are tasked to be......
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----- the best mother or father to our children ...the best son or daughter to our parents, the best teacher or student, CEO or a clerk, vendor, policeman or soldier, doctor or nurse, caregiver, maid or janitor, priest or a nun, journalist, composer, painter, writer or poet, businessman, carpenter or laborer, professor or scientist, messenger, busboy, waiter, saleslady, politician, or a friend. Or other roles and tasks life presents for us to do.
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Martin Luther King Jr. says it superbly.......... to quote
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"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, --- 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well." ------ Unquote.
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God expects us to do a good job. Always. Blessings, everybody






2 comments:

  1. If one considers work as worship,he/she cannot do slovenly work but work with devotion and dedication.The outcome would naturally be very good.

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    Replies
    1. Beautifully said, Parth. Heyy thanks for the lovely visit. May the good Lord bless and keep you safe in the palm of His hand.

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