Before enlightenment,
Chop wood,
Carry water.
After enlightenment,
Chop wood,
Carry water.
zen proverb
Once upon a time a young man went on a quest seeking wisdom. He came to a town where there were people working diligently on a variety of projects. He was very curious about all the activity.
Coming to the first man, he asked, "What are you doing?"
The man answered, "I'm stacking up stones so the mason can lay them tomorrow."
"Oh, I see," he said, not really understanding.
He came to a second man who was working on a large flat piece of wood, and asked, "What are you doing?"
The man looked up briefly and said, "I'm sanding this wood."
"Oh, I see," said the young man, not much the wiser.
He came to a third man digging a trench. "What are you doing?" he asked.
The third worker stood up and leaned on his shovel and wiped his brow. "I'm building a cathedral," he responded
And, finally, he understood.
All those workers were busy building a grand cathedral. It didn't look like much at the moment. Each worker was focused on doing his job. But only one had the vision to see that his humble labor was an essential contribution to a grand structure that, when finished, would be a place that many would come together and marvel at the accomplishments of a community of laborers working together to create a masterpiece.
Whether you're a ditch digger, a housewife, an office worker, a computer technician, a volunteer or…
Whether you're currently employed or not….
May you take a moment this Labor Day weekend to celebrate your accomplishments. You are making significant contributions to the betterment of this world. May you always take pride in your work and know that the world is a better place because you are doing vital work that needs to be done.