My father in-law is going to retire this month. He will be 67 years old and has been in accounting all of his professional career. He worked for a company for over 25 years, but one year before he was available to retire, they let him go so they would not have to pay his retirement. They replaced him with 3, fresh out of school workers and paid them nothing. The company saved a few bucks, but lost a very good, loyal, and hard worker.
At the age of almost 60, it was hard finding work, but he was hired by a company who offered him much less than he was used to, and took advantage of the situation by about working him to death. He was working from 4 am to sometimes 7 pm. This company has put unbelievable pressure on him for the last several years. It started when they needed him to cover for someone who was leaving, but they never replaced them. Then they asked him to pick up the slack for someone else, but they did not replace them either. He was doing 3 peoples work and for the same pay. The reason for his retirement is because they asked him to take on the work for a 4th person, so he told them it was time to retire.
My father-in-law’s dad was known as, “Pepsi-Joe”. His dad was a Pepsi delivery man for 40 years, therefore, my father-in-law grew up on the back of a Pepsi truck. His father was a hard worker and gave him a good work ethic. He wanted to become a truck driver, but instead he went to college and went to work in the corporate world.
This is a very common occurrence. We grow up with life experiences and then when we grow up we do what is expected, not what we have a passion for, or what we want to do.
I want my children to grow up learning that they should follow there passions, gifting, and talents and find the work they love. I grew up in a family of Entrepreneurs and I guess that was always in my blood. I wanted to have my own business also, but I did what was expected and went to school, and started a career in selling, and then sales management. The whole time I wanted to have my own business. I wanted the American dream, so I stepped out and did it. At the age of 40 I quit the corporate world and purchased a Franchise business, that is another story!
I have regrets about choices I made and how things in my life have turned out, but hopefully I have been successful in teaching my children to go for it. I want my children to have the confidence and knowledge that when they are of age, they have opportunities.
A life-time of work, for what?
After my life working I want to be able to answer this question like this, “I loved God, my wife, and children. I built a legacy and made a difference in someones life and the world around me.
How are you going to answer?
Lowell Lane
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