The way we were

The sweat dripping from my forehead was making the bright red handle of my shovel very slippery. It was only mid April and this short,shallow ditch was kicking my butt. I stopped and looked behind me at my destination, only six more feet. I grabbed my water bottle that was baking in the sun and took a long warm drink. I'm almost there.
An hour later the ditch was complete.The pipe was glued in place and it was covered with dirt. I sat down with a cooler drink and admired my handiwork. It occured to me that what would have once taken me thirty minutes to complete had taken me at least two hours. Damn old age! But old age is really not the problem. Somewhere along the way my time had become too valuable to complete even the simplest of household tasks. It would be cheaper to pay someone else to dig the ditch while I made money at the office. Pay someone "more suited to dig a ditch". This someone used to be me.
I remembered the satisfaction I had at the end of the day when a long hard job was complete. Back when a shovel didn't have to be painted bright red and look like a party favor to be sold in stores. Back when I made an "honest" living. I may have gone to bed when it got dark, but isn't that natural? Somewhere along the way I turned into then man that used to hire ME.
In large cities many companies have installed gyms and allow employees to exercise on company time. It is said that they become healthier and more productive. Fewer sick days and everyone is happier. Great idea! I'm running on the treadmill while the landscape crew is cutting the grass out front. I'm lifting weights while the cleaning crew is scrubbing the floors and emptying the trash. I'm doing areobics while the window washers clean the glass like they are putting out a fire. We are all very busy...and healthy.
What if these same companies just had a their employees complete these "menial" tasks. What if I pushed a lawnmower for a couple of hours on Thursday. Get some fresh air. What if Friday was my day to vacuum the first floor. Would I not get exercise and at the same time have a completed job to admire? I would be a part of how beautiful and clean my workplace was. I would also remember who I was and where I came from.