Monday morning, I went right back out, determined to finish the job. Once I did, the flood of endorphins made every ache in my back and legs worth it. However, ask me tomorrow when the soreness really sets in and I may have a different perspective!
It is a long story as to why I had to dig out the pond, but a quick explanation is that someone before me took shortcuts, and I was left with cleaning it up. This was not the first time that I have found myself in this position, and I continue to be baffled by the sheer laziness that can cause these types of situations. Doing the job right the first time would have only taken a fraction of the time it took me to correct it! And yet, the easy and selfish way is to cut corners that create problems someone else will have to deal with.
It then made me think about a view much bigger than this scenario. It caused me to think about our choices and how they will impact future generations. Are our short-term decisions made while thinking about the long-term consequences? It is so much easier to throw out a pair of pants with a hole rather than mend them nowadays. Likewise, if your television stops working, I am willing to bet that buying a new one is probably cheaper than a service call and parts to repair the old one.
I, too, participate in some of these behaviors, so I am certainly not saying I have the answer or am doing anything more noble. But I do want to be more conscious of how my choices today will affect others down the road. Am I taking shortcuts that will have to be cleaned up? Could a little extra effort today make the lives of those in the future a little bit lighter? Today’s actions are tomorrow’s outcomes.
The author grew up on a Florida dairy farm, obtained a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of South Florida and has spent her career in dairy processing. She now serves as business development manager for North America with Bunge. Erin and her husband live in St. Louis, Mo., with their three children. Her personal mantra is “Be Bold.”