The Roof
Twilight is coming and still the roofers are hard at work. I confess I am praying for it to get dark soon just so the pounding on the roof will stop. The crew arrived as the sun came up on the Gulf Coast. They had to wait in their vehicles until the frost cleared off the roof – we have had an unusual cold spell in Texas. The man who just came to the door had been outside working all day but was reluctant to get too close as he updated me on the progress as he is ill. That got me to thinking……
These men who spent the day on my roof ripping off the existing shingles and starting the process of replacing them worked very hard. They worked long hours in the elements on a steep roof. Me, I was inconvenienced today due to the pounding and the impact on my cats. They both spent the day under the bed with their eyes wide open…there were no kitty naps today.
When I had the house built it was all about the floorplan – I didn’t give a thought to the roofline or the impact the steepness would have on the cost to replace it when the time came. Surely there are other more important impacts/consequences of life I have been oblivious to as I focused on my outward appearance rather than more consequential characteristics. I remember one very superficial comments I made during Hurricane Harvey. News came that my neighborhood behind the Barker Reservoir was in danger of flooding and I was preparing to evacuate. My dear neighbor, Martha, had ensured that the cats and I were included in her plans to evacuate to a friend’s house that wasn’t too far away but was outside the flood danger. A lifelong family friend, Steve, called from Russia to say he couldn’t end his day half way around the world until he knew I was OK. During the course of the conversation I commented that if I knew I was going to need to evacuate I would have worn something else…..really, does that matter?!?!
I have put in many a long day of work over the course of my career. Late nights and weekends at the office as an auditor. Long days and delayed flights as a consultant. I wasn’t as grumpy when I was upgraded to first class. All while earning a paycheck, frequent flier miles, hotel loyalty points and striving to climb the corporate ladder. But what about these men on my roof. It isn’t about advancing their career, getting a promotion or a better job title. This isn’t a project they took on to beef up their resume. They aren’t getting any upgrades. It is about earning a paycheck to provide for themselves and their families and being willing to do the hard work that many others might not be willing to do. They earned my respect and appreciation today.
What does it take for someone to earn yours?
Blessings,
Vicki
© Chateau Life Coach
Blessings,
Vicki