When I was at university back in the late 1970s, I desperately needed a job and thought I had hit the jackpot when told I had been hired.
The job you ask? Well, it involved selling flowers and stuffed animals to late night patrons in city restaurants and pubs. Oh and to add a little bit of extra pep, I was dressed up as a little Dutch girl complete with a cap, apron and large basket.
Yep, it was a real winner. Or at least I thought so until I finished my first shift and reality kicked in. I couldn’t believe that I had taken on such a crazy task and informed my parents that I was resigning. To my utter dismay, my father informed me that this would not be happening. That I had agreed to a contract and the owner was banking on me to do my part.
A significant argument ensued ending with me asking my father what on earth aside from income could be gained from such a job.
And his response, the ability to keep turning up. He reminded me that life was a series of ups and downs. Rarely a smooth ride. But the people who overcome with their integrity and character intact are those who continue to turn up. Irrespective of the season, the challenge, or the lures of a better offer.
And that was that. In one statement, I had my reason and my challenge.
Turning up is not always easy. It doesn’t necessarily mean forever. But it does mean having the courage to face our fears and remind ourselves that we have a strength and resilience that is often present just below the surface.