Reward

Yesterday I spent 9.5 hours at work, on a Saturday, the day after the 4th of July. I did so voluntarily, however, since I was exceedingly well compensated and because I have certain goals I'm pursuing that require all of the extra cash I can get.

But today I made up for it a little. When I was in the U.S. Army infantry, we had a simple motto: "work hard, play hard." I worked hard, so today I played.

I don't know if I'd call it "playing hard" though: beer in a bucket full of ice, steak and shrimp on my BBQ, reggae on my satellite radio, and the sun setting on the Blue Mountains. Pretty easy if you ask me!

But this is what it's all about, all this toil. A little here and there goes to current enjoyment, like the evening I just had and that I've just described to you, and the rest goes to making these sort of evenings every evening in the future.

There is a line in a book called The Richest Man in Babylon, written by G.S. Clason: "Make a friend of work." The idea there is that work can set you free (as long as it is paired with the wise use of the money one gains). I think I've done that.

I love you, work, so that one day I can leave you.