“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.’” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Peace of mind attained only through self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you're capable." ~ John Wooden
My brother and I stood at the front porch; waiting for Ibu to come down. The three of us were going somewhere shiny and Ibu was applying her final touches in looking extra pretty.
"Isn't that a sad dude," started my brother, looking at the middle-aged driver hired for the trip. "He’s so old and poor. In five, ten years' time, he'd probably still be a driver, with no hopes of becoming rich or even retire comfortably."
"Are those your standards of sadness?"
"Don't you think that he envies us? Don't you think that he wishes he could have the same opportunities as we have?"
"Perhaps. But even as a driver, he can still have more joy and satisfaction than all the money in the world can buy."
"How so?"
"By showering and smelling nice every morning. By being polite and honest. By taking pride in what he's doing. That kind of thing can bring more joy and dignity than entering the Ivy League or writing bestsellers or winning Nobel Prizes."
"Even if he’s just a driver?"
"Especially because he’s a driver and is easier to learn from. Remember Udi, Simbok and Pak Jalal? They might have been servants, but they didn't just take us as parts of the job. They left legacies in the way they loved and prayed for and helped our parents raise us. Remember what The Coach said about barometers of success?" - I paused, seeing Ibu approach, - "He's just a driver if he's there just for the money. That’s why pride and joy and success are hidden in our hearts; so that we'd be the only ones who can judge our sincerity, in serving the Lord."
