WORK IS A BLESSING NOT SOMETHING TO AVOID

WORK IS A BLESSING NOT SOMETHING TO AVOID

By Domenick J. Maglio, PhD. Traditional Realist

Almost magically when children are on a beach they begin to dig and build sand structures. They run with buckets of water moving sand from one spot to another making and filling in holes. They can run around for hours building sand castles and knocking them down. Even adults, who are just older kids, get involved making impressive sand sculptures that are washed away at night by the surf. 

What is one person’s work can be another person’s play. Renowned educator/psychologist, Maria Montessori observed this daily about children: work is play and play is work.  In the same way beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Everyone does not view these various activities or jobs in the same manner.  The distinction about the pleasure or displeasure of an activity is in the perception of an individual.

A boring task for one person could be an enjoyable one for another.  A machinist putting together a simple gadget to handle a particular function can be seen as a work of art. Landscaping and mowing can be seen as drudgery or a gratifying experience of sculpturing one’s land, a spiritual experience.

Producing something is inherently gratifying. Ancient civilizations are judged by the artifacts that were crafted. Creating a functional organization that gets things done takes work to perfect in order to reach a high level of quality. This often becomes a person’s legacy.

Most intellectuals have a natural distain for any physical work. Work is for non-thinkers, laborers and peasants. According to these elites critical and creative thinking has altered our civilization replacing our need for manual labor. Technology and automation are on the verge of allowing everyone to be provided anything they desire in abundance. All humans will be liberated from having to use physical energy to produce what they need or want. This has been the mantra of intellectuals at least since the 1960s.

Work has practically become a negative concept in developed nations. These nations are opening up their borders to illegal immigration. This underclass is supposed to replace the former middle-working class, which supposedly is no longer willing to do such menial jobs. Many of the lower middle class are unmotivated to learn how to do simple repair and maintenance work around their homes.

Developed nations are forgetting that work has intrinsic value for humans. Being takers rather than tangible producers is like day and night. Takers may accept handouts although they have little appreciation for what they receive. They develop an entitlement mentality that craves more but does not have the appreciation or understanding of what it took to create it in the first place. Most importantly they do not feel the pride of current accomplishments and live in the past. Greece is an excellent example of this.

In American culture the concept of earning what a person gets is being undermined. “You did not build it,” as stated by President Obama set off a firestorm of protest.

People who worked themselves up the socio-economic ladder to unexpected heights were stunned and dismayed by such a statement. The Land of Opportunity is being denied by big government proponents who believe in the collective not individual initiative. It neglects the blood, sweat and energy needed to build and maintain a viable enterprise.

As a people we are losing our self-reliance. Many students work harder at not working rather than just doing the task right in the first place. Time practically stops when a person chooses to watch the clock until they can leave their workplace. This wasted time cannot be replaced.

Energetic and vital people are the backbone of a thriving nation. Work is a natural antidepressant.  When people are busy doing they have no time to worry about what they cannot control. As the old saying goes, if you want something done, give it to a busy person. These people know how to focus on completing an objective that increases their energy to tackle another project.

Work that is meaningful is something to relish. It gives the person a purpose and the satisfaction of accomplishment.  Doing meaningful things naturally creates a balance between the body, mind and spirit. It is a blessing that should be embraced, not avoided since it keeps us vibrant.

Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. You can visit Dr. Maglio at www.drmaglio.blogspot.com.