Good morning! I hope your day is off to a nice start.
It’s raining here. Not that rain is an inherently bad thing, but I neglected to empty the RV’s holding tanks last night. You know, when it wasn’t raining. In my defense, the tanks weren’t quite full. Kinda like a trash can that’s not quite spilling over. The big difference is, I can’t put my foot in the holding tank and smash it down to make more room. I didn’t even try.
Years ago, my daughter and son-in-law were living with us. To say he was a trash-stacker is like saying Al Capone dabbled in crime. He could recreate the Eiffel Tower using egg shells, paper towels, and empty milk cartons. I finally put a piece of tape on the wall behind the can and wrote “FULL.” Like he could see it behind all that trash. Okay, like he could read. But that’s another story.
If I said anything about Mount Trashmore, he would simply put his size 11 foot in it and smash it down so tight you needed a blowtorch and a prybar to get the bag out. And on those rare occasions when he actually did take the trash out, he simply set it on the front porch. Not like it was raining and the dumpster was full. He was just lazy.
I guess that’s why he never made it as an RV dweller. He bought an old motorhome with the intent they’d live in it. They tried for a week or two, but it didn’t last. My daughter said they gave up because it was too cold. I think his tanks filled up.
Daily chores are a lot like holding tanks. At first, it’s just a little bit of stuff in the bottom that you never even notice. But tanks have a way of filling up. And don’t let anybody fool you with those little orange sachets that promise to cover up the smell. All they do is turn the poop orange. Kinda like those “debt consolidation” loans. Sooner or later, you still have to pay.
A friend once told me that getting rich is easy. Just do for people the things they’re not willing to do for themselves. It’s the very essence of the service industry. The nastier the job, the more you can charge for it. When the drainpipes are clogged, you don’t ask the plumber how much he charges. You just open your checkbook and let him fill in the amount.
To be fair, there are certain things we shouldn’t attempt on our own. Wiring your house to the light pole is one of those jobs that could go seriously wrong. Demolition is best left to the professionals. And have you ever seen those videos of a do-it-yourselfer in a flannel shirt with a chainsaw? Let me summarize it for you … somebody’s about to lose a trailer.
It’s easy to understand why we would farm that work out to somebody better suited (and more heavily insured). And sure, we can always make the kids take out the trash or cut the grass. I even taught my grandson how to empty the tanks. Those are jobs that have to be done, and ignoring them will only make it worse in the long run.
But when it comes to your dreams, it’s easy to put those tasks on the back burner for a day or two. You know, until you’re better rested and you have a little more time. The problem is, days turn into weeks, and weeks turn into decades (yes, I skipped a few steps there). All the while, the dream still waits.
Those are the tasks that nobody notices except you. There’s no telltale sign to let anybody know they were missed. They just sit there, invisible to the world. To everybody but you. But in those moments when you’re looking at your life as it is and how it could be, they stand out like a flashing red light.
It’s been said that we’re either building our own dreams or somebody else’s. But there’s a third option – just sitting around, exchanging oxygen. And don’t get me wrong. Oxygen is a pretty big deal. But whether we’re building our dreams or just thinking about them, we use pretty much the same amount. So, why not put it to good use?
It’s easy to ignore those jobs that don’t get us in trouble. Nothing stinks, and nobody cares. But at the end of the day, you still know. And the question we all have to answer is, if you were paying somebody to build your dreams for you, would they still have a job? For most of us, the answer isn’t pleasant. But it’s one we have to face if we want anything to change.
That’s all for now. Have an awesome day!
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