Yesterday the temperature was in the 60s…today it is in the 20s. The wind is blowing at 16 miles per hour and the chill factor is 13 degrees. Now, this is normal weather for Southern Illinois…but this fall and thus far winter…has not been normal. Traffic is slow as most folks are in by the fire. I wore the neck scarf that MJ got me for Christmas…it felt good. Winter is most enjoyable when looking at it through your window.

Discipline and responsibility are not always fun…but they are fulfilling. When I was a lad in Eldorado, Illinois I really did not compare mom and my life to others. I knew what our reality and resources were and felt satisfied that we were doing the best that we could with the tools that we had to work with. Life was simpler and often better without the constant harassment of Facebook and its comparisons to others that have more earthly goods…and who seems to be having…constant fun…without cost. The Lottery is a multi-billion dollar industry that is financed by many people who are using the butter and egg money to purchase the magical Lottery Ticket. Dreams are mystical and magnificent things…and working to fulfill your dreams is a worthy goal. Dreams that lead to poverty and sorrow…are not the substance of hope.

On October 10, 1978, I was hired as a Building Service Worker at Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale. Custodial work is a fundamental bedrock need in our society. Not glamorous or often sought after…but a dream come true for MJ and me. I emersed myself in my housekeeping duties. I did not consider my position a ‘Bridge Job’ to a better position. I understood that if I sought excellence in my service and kept a servant’s heart…my work would be recognized by some. I knew from my first day that I wanted to be a Professional Housekeeper…I wanted to be the best that I could be.

Often we grow discouraged that our climb on the Ladder Of Success…is not moving as rapidly as we believe that it should be. We witness others get ahead by rhetoric and deception and we wonder…if anyone is watching or noticing… There is no easy answer if we choose to compare ourselves to our neighbor…if we focus on excellence and the fundamentals of our success…we will be rewarded…in time. True success is incremental.