Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Salt Of The Earth

The older I get the more tolerant I think I've become. This is due in large part to an increased awareness of my own imperfections. If one is honest about one’s own personal weaknesses it is difficult to be judgmental and intolerant of others. I believe that most people are like me in the sense that they’re doing the best they can. Work is only one thing in most people’s lives. People also have family concerns, personal issues, struggles with their feelings and emotions, and worries about their health. They may also struggle on a spiritual level with their faith and beliefs. On top of all these things are the chores of everyday life that one must do to simply live. At age sixty I simply don’t have the energy that I used to have. It is difficult to come to work every day like I am playing in the Super Bowl. Most nights I return home brain dead and fatigued. To be totally honest, I was never a driven, ambitious, dynamo. In a world of pressure cookers, I have always been more of a crock pot. All of these things are on my mind because it is once again time for the annual performance reviews at work. I am personally being judged and evaluated by others and I must also judge and evaluate all the people that report to me. We all like to think we’re superstars but the reality is that most of us aren’t. Most of us are ordinary. Most of us are “salt of the earth” types who keep the world running even if we aren’t always recognized for our efforts. Most of us labor in relative obscurity and do so most of our lives. This does not mean that we are poor performers who have little value. We’re not just bricks in the wall or part of a mindless herd. Personally, I don’t need, or even want, to be in the spotlight. I certainly don’t need to be number one. I’m happy to be part of a team of people cooperating with one another to achieve a goal, whether it’s within my family at home or my family at work. When I do this, I sleep well at night and I am at peace.

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