Bent, Rusty Snow Shovels
Posted by funky uncle mustard on 14 Jan 2007 at 01:16 pm | Tagged as: Being Yourself, CareerMustard, Encouragement, Flaws, Meaningful Work, Motivation, MustardMusings, PunkMustard
It finally snowed a bit here in Madison, WI yesterday. Not a ton of snow, but enough that it made sense to shovel. This year, I went all out and bought this semi-fancy shovel with a thick handle and, to really ensure I get it all, a metal edge along the bottom of the “solid†plastic scoop area. Seriously, this is supposed to be a great shovel.
After a clearing a small portion, however, this shiny new shovel was really disappointing. Sure, it’s got metal along the bottom, but it doesn’t seem to hit the pavement evenly. So, while fine for some types of snow, it wasn’t clearing my walk all that well. Looks great, but doesn’t really deliver.
I went back into my garage and grabbed an old, all metal scoop shovel that a retiring family gave to ours as they headed to Florida. This thing is old, orange, beat up, bent, rusty – some would look at it and simply put it out with the trash.
But this shovel worked perfectly. It cut right down to the pavement and performed exactly as I needed.
The shovel reassured me of something. So often I’m worried about improving myself, learning more, developing more, looking better or more impressive, or getting ready to – someday – be truly useful in this world. But my bent, rusty snow shovel shows me that sometimes the perfect tool for the job doesn’t look perfect at all.
Most of us don’t look perfect. But we wish we did. I love my bent, rusty snow shovel. It’s perfect for just the right job.
So are we. Right now. As we are.
I’ve also got a “semi-fancy” shovel w/ a metal edge I bought a few years ago. Same results as you, Mr. Funky. Although, I’m not sure what’s worse…the fact it doesn’t clear the snow cleanly, or that fingernail-on-chalkboard sound of the metal scaping on concrete! And, like you, I almost always revert back to my older shovels.
I like your analogy Mister Mustard. By changing oneself or using a new idea is not the only way to make ones world a better place. (How often do we experience someone at work coming up with a new idea, which was abandoned as useless ten years ago) Sometimes it is worth relying on what is tried and tested too. I think that might mean relying on your instincts. Please keep shovelling with your battered old shovel; you are doing a fine job!