Sunday 6 March 2011

The Construction Worker

It has been my habit of saving inspiring stories whenever I read one.  Just last night, while I was trying to weed-out some unnecessary files in my computer, I found one in my files.  I has been five years since I saved it.

This inspiring story is about a construction worker, and I read it from Fr. Bel San Luis's newspaper column Word Alive.

Here's the story.

"THERE was once a documentary program on TV where it featured the difficult life of a construction worker.
Despite the hardships, the construction worker talked about his dedication at work. He shared about the kind of joy he is having every time he passes by different projects he previously worked on. Big or small, short or tall, all completed projects are equal to him because, as he proudly said it, he devoted his all on them – time, energy, sweat and blood.

"Aside from the usual hardships of being a construction worker, you know, the hard labor, the high risk of meeting an accident, and the very little pay to top it all, is there anything else that disappoints you that we do not know about?" asked the TV host.

"What else disappoints me?" the construction worker responded. "I worked on beautiful projects that people look up to – something they admire. Just before a grand building officially opened, I tried to visit it one more time. After all, it was once my workplace. I want to have one more look on what I have created before its doors are opened to customers that I won’t be. But I was never permitted to enter.

It was disappointing. And it was sad. The security didn’t recognize that I was the construction worker. That was not the case before. The guard was insistent that I present proper identification. What do I have to present except giving a detailed description of what I have done in this building? I was the construction worker of this building. Why can’t I be allowed to enter?"

I always see this story happening in our everyday living.  I don't know if it is a human nature thing that sometimes we forget to acknowledge the people who  have contributed to our being or those who made an impact, big or small, in our lives.  These people are less paid maybe, but in terms of their hardwork, patience and the impact that their jobs give to the society we live in, their are worth billions.


Excerpt from Manila Bulletin, 23 July 2006 edition.

1 comment:

  1. This blog was very informative for me because I am planning to do this topic about construction workers for my thesis, it made me realize their insights. Thank you! :)

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