Monday, September 24, 2007

Taking Pride

This weekend a friend of mine was telling me a story about his family's new housekeeper. He recently relocated with his family here from Guam, so the whole idea of even having a housekeeper is new to them. Anyway, he was talking about how impressed he was with her and what a wonderful job she does. He was bragging about how great she can cook. He said every day when he gets home from work, the kids are clean and fed, the table is set and she would bring out the food so him and his wife could eat while she would entertain the kids in the family room (since they had already eaten). He talked about how she would even make garnishes for the food she cooked. For example, she had made them some scrambled eggs the other day and she layed out some lettuce leaves on the plate, then put the scrambled eggs inside them and garnished the dish with sliced tomatoes. He was so excited talking about all the fancy garnishes she made for the diffrent dishes she cooked. He couldn't be more pleased about having her work for him.

His story really got me thinking...Here is this woman whose job is to cook, clean and watch someone Else's children(four for that matter). Not an easy task by any means...and yet, she is so happy to have her job and to takes such pride in what she does even down to garnishing the dished she cooks for her employer.

Our Gardener, Arnold, is the same way..His job is to cut the grass and trim the hedges for our landlord and ourselves. Our combined lawn is huge! No easy task! Yet he takes such pride in his work and what he does. He takes the time to bush cut under all the hedges and various flowers scattered throughout the yard, then he mows the main portion, he meticulously trims each bush and makes sure that all the hedges are straight, he plants flowers, papaya, and other various plants around the houses (on an almost daily basis) and then he takes the time to prune and water those plants. He picks up any fallen leaves, trash or other unsightly things on the lawns...He does this day in and day out...rain or shine...and always with a big smile on his face...He's "the bomb" when it comes to gardening!

Both of these people have inspired me and taught me a lesson about taking pride in what you do...No matter how menial the task at hand is. Whether it be at home, work or elsewhere, whatever I may be doing, I think about the housekeeper and the farmer and I try to put "a little extra" into what I'm doing and do my best at it...No matter what job you do, its important to someone and it should be important to you.

Can you imagine what a much better place it would be if everyone had the attitude of the housekeeper and the farmer and would take Pride in their work/job??



The beautiful Sunflowers Arnold planted a couple months ago. It's a shame they only bloom once then die :(

11 comments:

Lil' Hammerhead said...

Yeah, now picture this. You end up having to work for $375 per month (or whatever the new measly salary level is), cooking and cleaning for four kids and their parents. I don't think you'll find alot of "pride" in that job.

It's one thing transferring from a job in Manila or China that may pay a few cents an hour to one that pays a couple dollars per hour. If I got paid four times what I make, I'd do just about anything and take amazing pride in it.

This "pride" doesn't negate the fact that they are grossly underpaid and even then are often taken advantage of. (not the two folks you mentioned necessarily, just in general)

There's no other place in the United States where maids, gardeners and personal handymen are so prevalent.

Angelo Villagomez said...

I guess you've never been to South Florida then...

Tamara said...

lil,

not everyone can be bought.

I have a brother who does Four times the work he actually gets paid to do, and he takes amazing Pride in everything he does from driving a bus to pick up customers, to meetings in the board room with Top Management, and everything in between...

Taking Pride in your job/work has nothing to do with how much your getting paid. No matter how much you agree to accept as payment/compensation for the work you do, you should do that work to the best of your ability.

Im not saying that $3.55 is a fair wage for a housekeeper, farmer or anyone for that matter..my blog is not even about wages..

But since you brought it up, Arnold makes less than $375.00 per month and still continues to do his job with Pride, so yes, I do think there are people who find Pride in thier work, no matter how menial or how much they do or do not get paid.

Someone once told me, it's not the job that is a measure of your character or your dignity, it's the way you perform your job.

We should look at each job we do as a stepping stone for bigger and better things...$3.55/hr, $10.00/hr or Voluntary unpaid service...Take Pride in it!

Anonymous said...

I get paid less than minimum wage and less than an average house maid for the number of hours i work...go figure, go coast guard.

Anonymous said...

Good for U, my Mermaid, for putting 'lilhead',(can't remember the actual blog name) in his/her place!!! IT IS TAKING PRIDE IN WHATEVER YOU DO THAT COUNTS, NOT HOW MUCH YOU'RE PAID!!!
You forgot to mention that the brother of yours going beyond the scope of his duties and responsibilities by driving guests, carrying their luggages, helping out with whatever their problems might be because he takes pride in what he does is the OVERWORKED AND UNDERPAID GENERAL MANAGER OF THE HOTEL.
I'M PROUD OF YOU BOTH! STAND BY YOUR VALUES..ALWAYS!!!

Anonymous said...

Sweetie, I posted as Anonymous, cause it's the only way I could post my comments...haven't been able to figure this out where my name shows. Just wanted to make sure everyone knows it's your mom (gwhunter) and proud of it...just can't figure this out but give me time and I will....
mom(the anonymous)

G'ma said...

My next comment will be signed...finally figured it out...
mom

Lil' Hammerhead said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lil' Hammerhead said...

You've missed the whole point of the post. You go pay that worker whose making $375 a month $90 a month and see how much "pride" they put into their work after that.

And "sticking to your values" should mean sticking up for whats right. That is, if your values are right.

- and when I say "prevalent" I mean on average or per capita. The average Joe in the mainland doesn't have a full-time housekeeper, gardener or maintenance guy.

Tamara said...

You've missed the whole point of the post

Actually, I think it is you that have missed the whole point of my post...

Anonymous said...

FISH! Practices
(extracted fr. www.charthouse.com)

Choose Your Attitude

Most of us believe our attitudes are caused directly by outside influences like unpleasant experiences or negative people. But while external pressures may trigger our feelings, we are the ones wearing those feelings like a suit of clothes. We can either be subservient to external events, few of which we have any control over, or we can take charge of our own response.

“Choosing your attitude” is not always putting on a happy face or feeling pressure to adopt the outlook that’s “officially” acceptable. Sometimes angry or sad are what’s called for. That’s why choosing your attitude is about being aware of what your attitude is, and that it does affect you and others. Once you are aware of the impact, you may view your attitude differently, even if the situation or person that upset you hasn’t changed. Then you can ask yourself, “Does my attitude help me or others? Is it helping me be the way I want to be?”

“Choose your attitude” asks only that you make your own choice and not try to pass it off on something or someone else. Once you accept that you are the only one who is choosing your attitude at this moment, you can decide whether to keep it or shape it into an attitude that’s more satisfying. You control your attitude, not the other way around.

As Bear says in FISH!, “You gotta choose where you’re gonna be as soon as you get out of bed. I consciously make that choice every day.”