WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE

'Tired' I asked him.

'No' he shook his head as he clutched his side. The expression on his face was devoid of expression as he went about the process of ringing up my sale. He explained how he cracked two of his ribs as fell in the shower today, knocking himself unconscious.

'Did anyone find you?' I continued with my questioning, wondering what he was doing at work.

'No' he replied as he described how he awoke three hours after the incident suffering not only from cracked ribs but hypothermia as well. The thought of the water being left on for three hours crossed my mind.

'Did you go to the doctor' I dared ask a final question. He simply stated he had to get up and ready himself for work. I stood there dumbfounded wishing him well as I left and contemplating his story and perseverance in doing whatever needs to be done in order to get to work.

The only other thing I know about him is the fact he was stationed in Iraq as a medic and is now working at the 7-11 near my house. The reason he mentioned his being in Iraq was due to my asking him why he was able to function on a mere three hours of sleep.

The incident reminds me of my boyfriend and the perseverance in his work as he completed his seventh straight day of long hours on his feet in a hot kitchen. Working in a kitchen is far from glamorous and the demands placed on those who work in such an environment are many. Despite the long hours and the pressures of the job, he does what needs to be done to the best of his ability.

Sometimes when you are willing to listen, you will be rewarded with a glimpse into someone else's life which causes you to ponder your own life and circumstances. Many times we come up with all sorts of reasons as to why we cannot accomplish a certain task. We procrastinate and look for ways to get out of doing what we should be doing instead of simply getting the job done.

Starting over in life is one of the most difficult actions we can take as we have spent years, perhaps decades, being comfortable in our lives. We end up questioning our ability to move forward not realising we are much stronger than we believe. Change is never easy, but necessary. Most important is to take the first step which is always the most difficult. In the end, our persistence, determination, and willingness to do whatever needs to be done will be rewarded one way or another.