The other day friends and I started reminiscing about growing up, what we miss, and how everything is so different now, especially the cost of certain things. We got to talking about our first jobs, something that I wasn’t expecting, but glad we did talk about it because it brought back a few memories to say the least!
Besides helping on the family farm, my first job was working at a cemetery at age 17! My buddy Dan and I partnered in this venture and we actually enjoyed it very much. Thankfully our duties did not involve digging up plots for a funeral, but we were responsible for cutting the grass, trimming the hedges and trees, and leveling new and old plots. Some might consider it uncomfortable or depressing work, but we took great pride in it especially around those important days like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Nobody likes to go see their loved ones in an poorly maintained cemetery, especially the people who actually look after it because we, too, had family in there. The cemetery is out on a country road not far from the Village of Windthorst and it was especially rewarding to stand on that road when we were done and look at what we accomplished. It looked like a peaceful area of rest for our community pioneers.
Once I landed that first job and received my first paycheck I felt like a full-on capitalist and I loved it! Naturally I decided I should start asking my Dad for money for all the work I did on the farm (trust me, I didn’t do as much as I thought I did). Seemed like a good idea at the time because I was making the big bucks now! Well, he quickly reminded that I ate for free, had free shelter, seldom had to pay for clothing, could drive the vehicles, and not pay for gas. Hmmmm, good point I thought. A very convincing argument on his behalf. Well played Dad and Mom! I quickly rested my case and I was brought back down to Earth.
No matter how successful a person becomes in life, I think we all remember that first job and the lessons it taught us. Some are still working their first job and love it now more than ever while other’s have moved up and onward a few times. I suspect as time goes on and technology gets better, the first jobs of tomorrow’s kids will be considerably different than the first jobs you and I had years ago.
