Appreciate the Hard Work behind Every Comfort You Enjoy
One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made the last decision. The director discovered from the CV that the youthās academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, Never had a year when he did not score.
The director asked, āDid you obtain any scholarships in school?ā The youth answered ānoneā.
The director asked, Ā āWas it your father who paid for your school fees?ā The youth answered, āMy father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school feesā.
The director asked, Ā āWhere did your mother work?ā The youth answered, āMy mother worked as clothes cleaner. The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfectā.
The director asked, Ā āHave you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?ā The youth answered, āNever, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than meā.
The director said, āI have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your motherās hands, and then see me tomorrow morningā.
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid. The youth cleaned his motherās hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his motherās hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.
This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the motherās hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future. After finishing the cleaning of his motherās hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother. That night, mother and son talked for a very long time. Next morning, the youth went to the directorās office.
The Director noticed the tears in the youthās eyes, asked: Ā āCan you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?ā The youth answered, Ā āI cleaned my motherās hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothesā.
The Director asked, Ā āplease tell me your feelingsā. The youth said, āNumber 1, I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not be the successful me today. Number 2, By working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done. Number 3, I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship.
The director said, Ā āThis is what I am looking for to be my manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hiredā. Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The companyās performance improved tremendously.
Moral: If one doesnāt understand and experience the difficulty it takes to earn the comfort provided by their loved ones, than they will never value it.Ā Ā The most important thing is to experience the difficulty and learn to value hard work behind all the given comfort.