Ideals

The Tulip speaks to me of warm sun and cool air and when these beauties are in the shade, they last a long time. Much like my own personality.

I was chatting with a new customer the other day and he told me a bit about himself. He had some very good life lessons to pass on. He was a Scotsman through and through so it was fun to listen not only to his stories, but also to his accent and his manner of speaking. As a young immigrant he saw Canada as a land of opportunity but after beating the pavement for many weeks and being on the verge of going back, he got a job at city hall in Vancouver. There was an election coming and they needed someone to sharpen pencils for the ballot boxes and tie little strings around them so they would not 'walk off'. Rather than being discouraged at such a menial and meaningless task, he tackled it with enthusiasm and his superiors noticed. It did not happen all at once, but he did move up through the ranks and his bosses always told him to be patient and always expect to get ahead. Well, he did get ahead and eventually became a city manager and a manager for then aspiring politician and now Premier of our Province, Gordon Campbell. Today he is retired and on a comfortable pension, having travelled and done all he ever wanted to do. His advice is to be patient, pay as you go, and never be afraid to start at the bottom. Work hard, be honest, and do not make enemies. These are things most of us know, but it is a real pleasure to meet someone who is a living testament to those ideals.