I'll trade, here's my "proud event" essay for W&M.Severa wrote:Hi all,
if anyone is interested in swapping PS's I am really happy to help (at the small price, as Ken said, of your time looking over mine). Send me a PM and we can get started!
I took another swing with the hammer and finally dislodged the two by four. My hands stung, and tiny strands of fiberglass hung in the air, but I had cut and bashed a hole in the wall big enough for the washer and dryer hookups. It was none too soon; I felt I was about to suffocate under my mask and my goggles were fogged up again. I decided to go see how Grandma’s work progressed.
Unlike my dad, I am not a builder. I have always tended toward the bookish side, so I lack both the skills and the physique for serious manual labor. This is embarrassing to me because most of the men in my family do some kind of physical laborer. My grandpa has never found much use for me on his ranch, and to him, work means getting your hands dirty. I do not share his restricted view of creating value, but I take special pride whenever I get my hands dirty doing something useful.
Last summer my mom moved into a house needing renovation. She could not take time away from work, so I came to help her for a few weeks. I worked on my own tearing things down and under supervision when I could be of use to the contractors. When Grandma heard that my mom was living in an unfinished house, she came to join us. Though past seventy, she still can’t resist work that needs to be done. Together we made steady progress clearing the way for the professionals to get their jobs done.
I found Grandma tearing down the living room ceiling. She worked cheerfully, at an easy pace, but with the tireless assurance of someone who is well practiced at getting the job done. I grabbed the other step ladder and went to work on the opposite side of the room. We talked as the boards came down. My mom would be delighted to see how our efforts had transformed her house. I knew we were making good progress, but I craved recognition in addition to achievement. When Grandma said, “Grandpa will be so proud of you.” I knew it was true. They had both grown up in a farming community during the Great Depression and World War Two, so they held high standards for effort. That simple compliment symbolized a connection with my family and my roots.
I believe it is important to take pride in what you do well, but it is also important to do things that do not come easily. I know that I will never possess the craftsmanship of my father, or the stamina of my grandparents, but I can still share in the family tradition of working to make one another's lives better. I am proud of this event, not just because of the work I accomplished, but because I was able to share it with someone whose own accomplishments I have admired all my life.
