Most of the time, I am a very outspoken person. More than half of the time, it gets me in trouble because I don’t necessarily think before ideas flow from my mouth.
Last week I had to apologize, which along with thinking before I speak, I don’t do very often. I am big enough to know when I am in the wrong. The problem was I had no idea how to make it right.
It was an extremely stressful night on the job. I was in a raw mood anyway and as I was looking over a ticket to check that all of the food items were correctly distributed or each of the plates before they made their way to the table and into the mouths of the hungry guest, my manager, whom I happen to be friends with, was helping me out and talking to me as I read over the ticket.
He could tell something was bothering me and he asked what was wrong. I quickly exclaimed, “God I can’t wait until I graduate and I get a real job.”
He looked at me and calmly replied, even though I could see in his eyes I had offended him, “Well, thanks!”
As I was taking my usual cigarette break, I began to think about it. What makes one job better than another? What is the universal description of a “real or “good” job?
Most would say that a good job would be a job that makes lots of money. A job should help you live comfortably and help you afford whatever you deem pleasurable. For instance, a job should not only pay your bills but leave you enough extra dough at the end of the month to go out of town or just do or buy whatever you receive joy from. It might be having enough money to buy the new outrageously-priced pair of shoes you have had your eyes on, or an extra payment on that boat you spend the summer in.
Others would say a “real” or “good” job is one that helps people. A nursing job, or a research job would fit in this category. Or maybe they could say it was a job that brings you the most happiness. But as I have thought about it, some of the most important jobs are the ones I would never think about applying for. They are the ones that are also some of the lowest paid professions in the world.
Take, for instance, the humble trash collector. Every Monday night I have to remember the trash runs early the next morning and have the bags out in the receptacles ready to be picked up. And every Tuesday morning, just like clockwork, at about 5 a.m. I am wakened by the sound of men talking and trash being thrown into the back of a large vehicle. It’s really a disgusting process just to get the bags to the curb. But, just like that, my waste has become another person’s means of surviving. I have never given it a second thought.
Or another example might be a janitor. I don’t care who you are no one wants to clean toilets for a living.
But think about it. Who wants to use a restroom that is a disgusting mess?
Then, as I was driving from work to ETSU, I saw the Little Caesar’s mascot on State of Franklin waving on the side of the road at passing cars trying to entice people to eat pizza. I know no one volunteers for that job.
I thought to myself he must have done something really wrong to be punished like that, having to stand on the side of the road in a ridiculous costume in weather that would drive a dog to head for shelter. But I immediatlely remembered the look in the eyes of my manager as the thought quickly turned into a reflection.
What drives people to take these jobs such as janitor, trash collector or even a pizza company mascot? Am I so self-centered that I think myself above these professions that earn money which is just as good and spendable as mine?
I realized money makes the world go ’round. In all honesty, no one would work if they didn’t have to. Wouldn’t it be righteous if we could all just lie around and do whatever whenever without having to worry about how we would pay for it? But what would life be like without the janitor or garbage man or the mascot? Harder. That’s exactly how life would be.
People can tell you they took a job for numerous reasons, but the answer will always include something about how much money the job brings in.
Rarely do you find someone who can say, “I do my job because I enjoy it.”
At my job, what motivates me the most is the fact it supports me until I can find a job that is more enjoyable. Also I can’t help but think I will make more money after I receive my degree.
So, I began to look at my field of study and see just how much money I will make my first year out of college when I have entered the work force. Sadly, I think I will make more money waiting tables than I will persuing my career.
This all leads me to the conclusion that all jobs are important, even garbage collectors, janitors and Little Caesar’s mascots.
All occupations matter no matter how small or inconsequential they may seem.

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