My day off is Saturday. I like to get an early start because it makes my day last longer. The kids are usually far too willing to oblige. But although I start early in the morning it's not to work, it's to rest. And when I arrive at the water near downtown Jacmel between 6 and 7 am, all is pretty much quiet.
But the quiet doesn't last long as the bay begins to fill with men on fishing boats earning a living. As I sit, and think, and read, and write, and rest, I feel like the laziest SOB in the world. But I'm OK with that.
Back in high school I was a pretty smart guy. Heading into my senior year I was 2nd in my class in GPA. The only person ahead of me was Julie Kelsey. And although we both sat at the head of our class together, it seemed to me that we were very different people. She was smart; She worked hard; She put her mind to things and got them done. I was just smart.
Of course I realized that my brains wouldn't take me everywhere in life. And so I resolved to do things differently when I went to college. I would buckle down and work hard and do even better. But I quickly realized an interesting truth about myself-- I couldn't do it. As hard as I tried, I couldn't do what Julie did. I couldn't apply myself in that way. After beating myself up for a little while, I simply had to accept that this was just the way God made me. I had certain skills and abilities, but this wasn't one of them.
So, yes, watching these guys work their butts off while I enjoy the weekend, I realize that I'm lazy. But I'm OK with it.
3 comments:
With no offense to Gretchen I must say that this is how it is was with Gwenn and Gretchen. Gretchen never studied. In fourth grade the teacher said that he let her read books while he talked because it kept her mouth shut AND she could still retain the information. Gwenn was equally as good a student BUT she worked hard at it. She studied and prepared and it paid off. I always thought that because of this Gwenn was the better student. But now I see...it was just the way God made her..
You're lazy...it's just the way God made you! (and me, apparently)...and my fourth grade teacher was a woman named Miss Hudak, so you may not be thinking of me, Mom :) I totally don't remember that at all.
You were lazy, which always made us "not that smart but still lazy" guys go crazy, and probably Julie too, considering she only did slightly better than you.
I remember one time I slept over and we woke up super early, Mike of course did not, and when nine o'clock rolled around and we'd been up for hours, we both decided then it was well worth it to get up early because the day lasts so much longer then, glad to see you're still up to the challenge.
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