Today I Caught Myself Wondering
If we are becoming a Nation of Mediocrity.
I believe we may be.
Not sure why at the end of my swim workout, I would have this thought come into my head.
It may have had something to do with the life guard getting off the stand, and putting the Pool Closed sign up when there was still about 5 minutes left on the clock. And out the door at 8:59 leaving me to gather my things without supervision.
I have had hard workouts before, when I’ve been loading up my gear, and nearly fallen into the pool. I could hit my head and then drown, and you’re halfway to the time clock.
As time passes, I see it more and more.
It saddens my heart.
Sometimes I joke about it.
Like recently I have been joking about having a job where I can be on my phone all day.
This way, I can make an hourly wage, while I am working for Zoefitness.
Double Pay.
That would be awesome!!
Hey Kids let me tell you something. Maybe your bosses are too young to know this themselves: You are not supposed to chew gum on the job, bring your phones into work, or wear something that your armpits hang out.
I should also tell you, you are supposed to GREET the customer when they walk in the door;
Not continue your mundane conversation with your co-worker, typically a negative one, that reflects badly on the people who pay your rent, buy your groceries, and beer.
No, I am not talking about your parents.
I am talking about your employer.
I never expected to have a high paying job when I got done with college.
Yea, I may have screwed up my free ride by partying too hard, that was the ’80’s and I was at one of the “Top 10 Party Schools” in the Nation as voted by High Times, University of Missouri, Columbia. Go Mizzou!!
But primarily, at that point, I did not know what I wanted to be when I grew up.
I wanted time to figure it out.
So I worked, I worked a lot.
I worked at a Pizza Joint and later The Olive Garden, until I found out.
Then, I paid my own way.
I found something I am passionate about, and then, went for it. I didn’t pick a career to just pay the bills. I found something that I could be excited to wake up every morning to do, even if it meant being to the gym between 430 and 5 am.
I worked while I went to college, I paid my own bills, including college. I went to a college I could afford, in an area I thought was interesting, University of New Mexico. Tuition was 900.00 per semester and then, sky rocketed to 1200. I didn’t go to school full time until I was a legal resident, for financial reasons.
I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect your parents to pay your way, increasing their financial burden, putting them into debt, and making it impossible for them to retire. I also don’t think it’s reasonable to live at home, so you can afford your smart phone, and your Coach bag. These things are earned through hard work, and if rent is expensive, that’s what roommates are for, and affordable housing in less than desirable areas.
All of these things will make you stronger, and make the sweet taste of success even more sweet.
Most of the time, I worked one, most often 2 jobs, and sometimes a 3rd to make ends meet. I still do. It’s in my nature.
It’s why I am so successful. It’s also, why I married a successful man. Because success attracts success.
I didn’t own anything I couldn’t afford, and I certainly, in this day and age, wouldn’t have been able to afford a data plan, or a 200 dollar phone, or cable TV.
I think, it’s unrealistic for people today to think they can live a life they can’t afford: cable TV, cellular phones, fancy cars, and lavish apartments and vacations.
For vacation I would car pool across country for Spring Break, and when I became more mature, I actually put a dollar in a wine bottle until it was full.
I had a budget.
The only credit card I had was an American Express. You know, the kind you have to pay off every month.
In other words, I worked my ass off, I didn’t mooch off my parents, and I never bought anything I couldn’t afford.
So why don’t we hold those same values in this day in age?
99% of the time when I go into an establishment if it were my place of business, the people ‘working’ there would be fired.
When I go some where and someone has the same work ethic as I do, I take the time to compliment that person, and to let them know, in life, they will go far and be successful and I generally give them extra money as an incentive to continue on that path.
Why?
Because it appears to be a dying breed.
Unfortunately, that is only about 1% of the time, or less, but mostly less.
And now as a parent, I recognize I have the power to change the World.
I know my children will be successful because they own the same work ethic I do.
Nothing is for free, and you have to work your ass off for money.
Sometimes people are hard down on their luck.
It happens.
But I remember a time, when I could not afford to eat when I was in college. I asked my Dad for 5.00 so I could buy some food. He said, ‘no’. I applied for food stamps, I was denied because my Dad was still claiming me on his taxes, even though clearly, I was no longer a dependent.
At any rate, my Mom managed to scrape up 5 dollars and that fed me for a week.
Fortunately, my Celiac’s Disease was symptom free at that point, because without mac and cheese, I may not have made it. Have you ever priced a box of GF mac and cheese, or GF anything? Ouch.
So this is the same way we are running our country right now.
This infuriates me.
Spend money we don’t have. Give money for aid to countries when our children are hungry and without medical care.
Wage wars over lives lost, but now our lives lost are 10 times greater than the original reason we waged war to begin with.
We need to spend less money but not take it away from social services that help people, that need help.
Not putting people to work, or thinking we are above a certain line of work, well, I guess, that’s why we continue to employ illegal aliens for jobs that Americans no longer want to work.
One thing is certain, if I needed to flip burgers, and dig trenches to feed my family, one thing is for certain:
I would flip burgers and dig trenches.
But that’s just who I am, that’s who I was raised to be.
Please join me in the fight against allowing our Country to be a Country of Mediocrity.