Success

We need a new window washer for the cafeteria. Someone hire a new man. Quick. The smudge from my finger on the door Wednesday met me there on Monday.
Reverend Green was right in his sermon.
“If you’re going to do something, be the best,” he said. “If you’re a doctor, be the best doctor. If you’re a teacher, be the best teacher. If you’re a janitor be the best janitor.”
Now, his janitor comment threw me for a second. It’s not a job that this society normally holds in high esteem. People are trifling and throw stuff on the ground as and say, “It’s not my job to pick it up.” Janitors have to clean public facilities including the overused toilets. It’s a discouraging job not even on the career aptitude tests.
Rev. went on. “Best janitor. …sweep the halls the best. Because when you’re gone they’ll miss you.”
I thought about his speech and then imagined my school. The hallways were always spic and span. The tile even shined every other day. I guess if Ms. Washington decided to take a month off and someone less concerned filled in for her, it’ll be noticed. I may see footprints, muck building up in the cracks of the tiles and dust on the mats.
But since she’s there taking care of our hallways, we have one of the cleanest buildings. It smells fresher and nerve calming. I sneeze less. It’s soothing to know you’re going back into a clean facility. A clean place can do a lot for you more than a filthy one. But nothings clean automatically. Somebody’s behind the scenes working. And I guess if it’s not the best, everything else falls apart.
Everyone doesn’t respect your job. Yet, folk gossip about a senile doctor. Keep working at your trade and people will file into your hospital. Pupils run from the bad teacher, yet acquire overrides to make it into the popular professor’s class. Because every young apprentice knows that under his watch they will come out of there as some one great. And well for the janitor, his job is different and if done correctly, could make an impact on everyone. A wise man once said, “Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value.” So, I know what Rev.s talking about.