Thursday, January 31, 2013

long time

It has been so long since I have done this blogging thing. I have tried several times to make it happen daily and failed. Today I am here because I had a thought come to me and I thought about sharing it on facebook but realized that it would be quite hard to do so in a single status. I do not care to be one of those people who post 40 status updates a day, I am not saying those who do shouldnt (well maybe some of them shouldnt) but I dont want to do it. I decided I would try to express my self here, even though there is a high probability my mom will be the only one who reads this, and that is because as soon as I post it I will call her and tell her to :)

I have been watching Downton Abbey and have enjoyed the intensity of the story, I dont think I will get in to details of the story and if someone who is reading this hasnt seen it, go watch it! :) I will say it is set in the early 1900's and the first 3 seasons take you from 1912 to about 1920. 

On to what my thoughts were. As I was leaving Sams Club this morning, I can go early because I have a business membership through my dad, I was wondering what I would say if someone asked me what my job was. I know they dont care and as long as you have the right card you can get in early but I sometimes let my imagination get away from me. Anyway back to my job. I thought I could say housekeeper, and because I have been watching this show, head housekeeper came to my mind next. Of course that made me smile, I have no qualms about being a stay at home mom and am certainly not embarrassed about it but to the "real" world I dont have a job so I figure head house keeper is an apt title! 

Now since I had put my mind on Downton Abbey with the head housekeeper thing, I started thinking that the problem with todays way of thinking is that no one takes pride in there jobs or careers anymore. I know there really are those who do but they seem to be disappearing. People are needing more validation than a job well done,  they want validation in moving promotion, need valitation in raises in income. So they do the least amount possible to get those. Other people are above working certain jobs so they willingly take welfare and government hand outs. I have to say I know not everyone getting government help is guilty of this mentality but many are. 

The butler in Downton Abbey is an example of someone who is honored to have his position and it shows in his work. He feels lucky to be where he is and feels no need to change, this could be seen as a negative thing and I may not be expressing myself well but I think he is the example of taking pride in his work we all can learn from. It doesnt matter that no one else might notice that minute scratch in the silver, he knows it is there and therefor he must be the one to change it. While he may go to the extremes with this, I think many of us could use a little more of it, and even more could use a lot more!

There are servants that come and go throughout the show, most of them see this work as a stepping stone to the next lvl and that gets them into trouble so they lose their job. I am not saying ambition is a bad thing, I just think that ambition should not stop you from doing the very best you can until you get the opportunity to advance in a career. 

I really dont think I am putting words to my thoughts well. I guess I am just saying that I think the world would be a much better place if we still valued ourselves and our daily duties to do the very best we can at all times. I know I would be in a much better place if I could do this. Again I am honored to be a mother and wife but in my daily activities I have not shown this. I am making an effort starting today to show more pride* in my head housekeeper position!

*I have a hard time saying pride and proud because of the bad side of those words, in this case I thing pride and proud are positive things :)

I would love to hear from anyone who is blessed to read this ;) How do you go the extra mile in your lives, (Career or job, inside or outside the home) what do you do to take pride in a job well done!

3 comments:

Dianne said...

I like the 'taking pride' in our jobs of head housekeepers, I think I neglect this part of my life drastically and also need to pull myself to task and remind myself that this is just as important a my job at work. Thanks

Dianne Breitling said...

Very thoughtful and interesting, Linda. You express yourself well and I agree on every point. I am proud to be your mother (for more reasons than this entry!).

Amy Conklin said...

Well put Linda! i haven't seen this show (but want to) that provoked your thinking! too often, we don't take pride in our jobs, and being a stay at home mom is hard. often people ask me what I do, and I usually say a stay at home mom - until I see their reaction, and then I follow it up with that I help do the books for my dads construction company. maybe you wrote this for me! thanks Linda - you are very wise! love you lots!