The Love of Working

We were made to work. We all know this because we have all experienced the satisfaction of a job well done. I remember years ago I needed to replace a fence in my backyard. I spent several weekends tearing it down and rebuilding it one section at a time. The last day of the project was a long day as I really wanted to get the job done. Just before the sun went down, I drove in the last nail.

As I scanned the length of the new fence, I felt exhausted, but was proud of the job I had done. The fence was straight and new and looked great. Best of all, the dogs couldn't get out and visit the neighbor's yard anymore.  The next afternoon, I pulled up a chair on the patio, aimed it toward the fence, took a seat, and stared at my handiwork. It felt good to be done and it was satisfying to stare at the finished product. 

Even though building a new fence is hard work, I enjoyed it. I've been thinking a lot lately about the fact that the the love of working is just as important as the love of learning. What good is a love of learning if we don't have the passion to make good use of that learning? Work can come in many forms. It may be working on a hobby or a household project. It may be an actual occupation that results in income. Regardless of the form of work, there is satisfaction when we perform a task well. 

A strong work ethic is one of the most valuable things a parent can pass along to a child. Instilling a love of learning in your child is tremendously valuable, but the value of instilling a love of working cannot be overlooked. After all, when a child loves to learn, teaching is easy and when a child loves to work, living is easy.