Lessons learnt when digging
Spring came to its full majesty to Kyiv, so many people, as well as I with my parents, went to their summer houses for the weekend. I don’t know whether it’s typical for other countries, however in Ukraine and Russia there is the trend when many megalopolis inhabitants live their homes for the weekends to spend warm days planting the cabbages, digging the garden or simply lying smoothly on a nature sunbathing and breathing fresh country oxygen.It was our first visit to summer house after the winter, so we had had many affairs: clean up the house, arrange the garden, gather autumn leaves which survived the severe winter etc.
As the youngest, I got the task to dig a large plot of land (phew!)
:-) I took the spade in the hands and started digging. The soil was wet and the
weather was chilly. So, the work was easy and I was enjoying turning over every
bit of ground. Nobody distracted me since everyone was busy with their affairs. Maybe hour passed. I was little tired. Turning over each new piece of ground was slower and slower and the traitorous thoughts appeared in my head: “Hey, I’m digging for over hour and nobody came and praised me”. However, I decided finish digging the plot I got till the lunch, so I continued working.
About half an hour passed. Then another half… When about one third of the plot left, I came over roots, sitting deeply in the soil which prevented me much from the digging. Probably, these were the roots of old tree, growing there when I was too young to remember it – I don’t know. However that may be, I was lifting the spade, extricating it from the roots and turning over the ground at once. At the same time mom started shouting: “Andrii, the lunch is ready! When do you want to eat?” I thought: “Yah it, that digging, I’m tired, so it’s better to have lunch and continue after”.
However, I knew that after lunch there will be no digging (the digestion will rule :)), so I gathered all my strength and made the final spurt. Suddenly dad finished his job and proposed to relieve my agony: we stood back to back and in 20 minutes easily and merrily finished digging the plot.
What a joy I has experienced, looking at job we’ve done!
That day I’ve made the following digging lessons:
- When starting any business (or action) I usually feel excited and enthusiastic
- In the middle the enthusiasm lowers, so I have to put all my strength to continue “digging”
- The
toughest moments come when the end is near. At this time it may seem that deed
is beyond my power and temptation may appear to give up (lunch)
- When
I overcome the toughest moment, the latest steps go easily and merrily, even “stranger”
(dad :)) may come to help me!
- At
last, when I overcome all obstacles, I feel joy and happiness.
I found this workflow applies to many (if not all) affairs I do. Does it apply both to your ones? ;)
