It's nice doing a job and being appreciated for it. Yesterday and the day before I started my 2011 shearing season shearing for the Paulsens in eastern New York. Super nice people. They left CT for NY 23 years ago and became sheep farmers. They live off the land, farming (I think) a couple hundred acres. It's farmers like this that I especially want to help with the wool pool! If they could offset the shearing cost with income from the wool, that would be great.
If I had to rank reasons why I shear sheep, being appreciated is way above earning money. Money is that ugly thing at the end of the day that needs to be talked about. But if there was a way I could just leave without bringing up the money discussion, I would. Not all farmers are appreciative, some take their shearer for granted. That's ok I guess, but those are the jobs I don't necessarily look forward to going back to.
I often have customers tell me "You're the boss" or "You're in charge". NO. I'm the servant, laborer, the braun. Whoever is paying the bill at the end the job is the boss. The receiver is just a servant. Humble servant, I hope. I think some people, not just shearers, cop an attitude and expect to be treated like the boss. No, I'm working for you.
Humble seravanthood means serving the appreciative and unappreciative equally, with a good attitude. That's what I strive for and I hope I, at least to some degree, achieve. Do the best job you can, with a good attitude, and people will be appreciative.
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