Good morning, Leaders! It’s Friday!

Do you remember as a child, in elementary school, studying what your Dad/Mom “did” (to earn a living)? Or maybe it was just a question asked on the playground when kids are trying to unconsciously size up the other kids socioeconomic status answering the burning question of “Will I have anything in common with this kid?”

My Dad drove a truck; simple and pure answer and it was something he loved to do. It was not close to comprehensive, it was just a check the box answer. He was a proud man who sought to make a difference with the resources put in front of him. He did it his way, pushing tired iron to it’s limits because he couldn’t afford new.

The rest of the story…

Dad passed earlier this year and quite honestly I’ve been tied up emotionally with other issues and haven’t processed his death fully. Maybe a little more today.

Dad was a general contractor. He was resourceful and a bit of a modern day alchemist. It takes loads of vision and passion to see coal ash and broken concrete and decide you can make something out of it that people will pay you for.

You may have heard Barbara Mandrell sing, “I was country when country wasn’t cool”…well Dad recycled stuff and made it economical well before the general public embraced a carbon neutral or zero impact footprint. In fact, if Steve Jobs is getting credit for pushing people to extraordinary limits beyond what they thought they could do by brow beating them, screaming at them in meetings and insisting that they produce exactly what he was looking for…my Dad was channeling Jobs before Jobs was cool and Apple was putting a dent in the universe…who knew?

He had undeniable influence on me and instilled in me and my siblings qualities that we carry around today, whether on our sleeve or deep in our hearts.

My brother happens to drive a truck today. As the oldest in the family, he broke in Mom and Dad so the rest of us could sail through childhood. He and I became inexpensive and highly accessible labor, including driving truck. It was enjoyable and rewarding enough that he ultimately chose it as his vocation. Like Dad, he’s much more than a truck driver. As an owner-operator, a businessman with innovative problem solving skills, persistence in delivering oversized loads in a variety of conditions and a skilled and experienced technician…there is no hill too high for him to climb. He, like Dad, is an entrepreneur. A successful entrepreneur.

In closing, I’m reminded of a former pastor who ended each sermon with the statement, “As you go out into the world this week remember that every one is fighting a battle of some kind, so be gentle.” In that spirit, recognize that there is no such thing as just a truck driver. We may have been forgiven for a childish oversimplification when we were young, but not today.

Can you think of someone in your life you have overlooked or oversimplified that deserves a little more consideration?

Have a blessed weekend