Afternoon naps have become somewhat of a sacred practice in my house. I mean really, after getting up at 3:30AM, the only thing that motivates me throughout the day is a nap and food. Garrett will typically join me at least for a couple of minutes, which is kind of sad, because really, this is about the only time we have to spend together any more. Friday, he was getting ready to race in Wichita, so he took a longer snooze. I woke up earlier than I usually do from this and noticed his wrist.
From an outsiders perspective, it just looks like Garrett supports a cause that hasn’t been relevant in a decade, but look closer.
Garrett is a runner, and has been for many years, but he’s not just someone who runs everyday, he is OBSESSED with the culture, development and training. He runs for hours everyday. He does additional training to help him strengthen muscles that aren’t performing the best. He spends hours of internet research to see what others do to try to adapt his own workout plan. He’s incredibly knowledgable about his craft, but what this wrist tells me is his work ethic.
The tan line on his wrist is something earned, not bought. He wears the Livestrong band on every run, creating a somewhat measurable “this is how many hours in the blazing hot sun I’ve worked” token. He runs in 90 degree temps as well as the freezing cold. He is someone that I look to and admire because he works so very hard.
[caption id="attachment_626" align="alignnone" width="300"]
Frozen beards and snot didn’t stop them last winter![/caption]
Frozen beards and snot didn’t stop them last winter![/caption]I remember wearing my own tan line from softball uniforms as my own battle scars. While other ladies would spend their time in a tanning bed to achieve that perfect all around glow, I would wear mine as a sign of “hey. These are earned. I got these all from work.”
Garrett represents my side of an argument. ALL. THE. TIME. In my workplace, I hear, “oh millennials don’t know how to work. They think everything is just a given.” B.S. I work 50-70 hours EVERY WEEK. Garrett puts in the same amount into his training. And not only do we work, we are willing to work even harder to do a job that we love because we’ve seen the tired bitterness of the generation above us for going into a job that just pays the bills. We have passion. We know the value of work, but I feel as though everyone chooses to overlook it. Just because we want to reduce the cost of education so we don’t simultaneously have to pay off two mortgages does not mean we are looking for handouts.
We know work. We want work. So don’t for a second think we want or need your cold words. We will just work through it.
]]>
