It’s Saturday, and we’re at the warehouse. We don’t own it anymore, but Steve works here, for the company who bought out our company a few years ago. Just think about that for a moment. 23+ years of running a business. Now someone else runs it and he’s along for the ride. Yup. I’m not sure I could do it either.
But here we are. It’s 3:00 pm and we arrived so he could do a little paperwork, right about 9:30 am. I worked away quietly on our personal bills using his laptop – quickly getting absorbed in that task. An hour went by. Then another half hour. I went out into the warehouse to look him up.
I found him cleaning. Finding the aisle that should be running by the offices, leading safely to the restrooms and break room. Moving debris, checking through abandoned boxes – he was cleaning, sweeping, recycling and organizing. Next we tackled the break room. Wiping down tables. Throwing out spoiled food, cleaning out/off refrigerator, microwaves, chairs. No surface left untouched. Removing moldy messes, dead gloves, used breathing masks, ketchup packets, unidentifiable debris from the floor.
He believes that he is driven by disgust. Why don’t they take better care of their surroundings? What is this mess all about? How can they respond like this?
Though his frustration and temporary anger is justified and would be, for many, the reason to go into hyper drive and clean things for a new start — Steve cleans out of respect. Respect for himself, for the building, for the men who work with him, for the business itself, and to live by example. Anger drives for awhile, but not anger at the men who work here – more at the universal disrespect he receives as a businessman. As a believer. As a man who follows a plan.
My husband is a visionary. He has a work ethic I will never be able to duplicate — though I emulate it as best I possibly can. He sees potential everywhere he looks. And he works tirelessly to help others see the potential that he already knows exists in them. He rants only to me, a trusted confidant, venting with a touch of sarcasm and playful regrets. His approach with everyone he encounters is gentle, quiet, respectful, polite. Don’t get me wrong — he has fire. He has strong beliefs. He has angst and regret and anger and thought. Lots of thought in that wonderful head. But he edits. He speaks after thoughtful review. He knows his business, his heart, the people he encounters daily. And he cares.
Have you heard him say “I married up?” He says it a lot. I stopped trying to correct that a long time ago because he believes it with all of his heart and doesn’t present it to belittle himself. It’s probably the most prideful thing he says. This gift of a man sees me as a gift. He sees glory in all of us most of the time. And he leads by consistency, and strength of belief. A deep rooted belief in God that reaches you regardless of your own beliefs. No pontification. No expectation. He just IS what he believes.
I stand straighter, maybe even a little taller, with him by my side.
wanderingoutinleftfield 