Morning Commute
"Some people dream of success... while others wake up and work hard at it. " ~Author Unknown
I woke up early this morning because I was excited to get my work done. I stopped to look at the sun just beginning to rise and I remembered someone that I have met on my journey that was always up and working before the crack of dawn.
In Korea we lived on a little housing area in the middle of Seoul. This area housed all families with the rank of Captain or below and Staff Seargent and below. The are was completely fenced with security at all exits and had it's own chapel, commissary, sports fields and childcare center. Each family was allowed one vehicle when they were sponsored to move to Korea. The pollution in Seoul is pretty high. Because of this, our vehicles which were parked in outside parking, were filthy. Vic and I brought over a Toyota xtra cab truck that was beautiful and white.
Every morning a Korean man would come to our housing area and wash the cars of the people who had become his clients. When we moved to Korea, our sponsors introduced us to "Car Wash Atashe". This was the name that he had affectionately been given. For a small fee paid at the beginning of the month, Car Wash Atashe would wash your vehicle every day. We asked him to add us to his clientele and showed him our new white truck.
The mornings that I needed the truck, Vic would take a bus to work. The opposite was true. When Mitch and I didn't need the truck, we usually walked everywhere or took the bus. Car Wash Atashe would have the truck washed and shining for whoever in the family needed it. I can remember walking out with Mitch in tow, on the way to his preschool, and seeing our friend buffing the last drop of water off the truck. He worked hard and was very proud of what he did. In the winter, he would time our exit, and pour hot water over the locks so that we could easily get into our vehicle. No matter the weather, Car Wash Atashe was out in his work clothes making sure our cars were clean.
The way he cleaned our cars was amazing. He would carry two large buckets and he had a stash of towels and soap. For every car, and there were hundreds, he would get fresh water, and transport it to the car he was working on. I'm amazed to this day of how easy he made his task look.
The most amazing thing of all was something many never saw. One day, and I don't remember why, I was at the chapel very late into the evening. The chapel was at the outskirt of the housing area, right next to a guard point. As I was leaving, I saw Car Wash Atashe go behind the guard house into the bathroom. When he came out he was fully dressed in a three piece suit, with shiny shoes and a briefcase. He had transformed into a Korean businessman. I realized then that this was his business. The mornings were the same in reverse. Our Korean friend would commute to work in his business attire, and change when he arrived into his car wash clothes. He would work a full day without break and then change back into his suit.
Car Wash Atashe's pride in his work and dedication to what he did continues to inspire me. Every job we do, if we do it well, is something to be proud of. Regardless of pay, or what society thinks of importance, every job done well is a success. Today, my morning commute was down an elevator and into a work room at a conference center. No big pomp and circumstance, no fancy clothes or titles or recognition. Like Car Wash Atashe, I will work hard today and I will be dedicated to the job that I'm setting out to do. At the end of the day, I'll hang up my hat and know that I have given it my very best. To me, that's success.
I woke up early this morning because I was excited to get my work done. I stopped to look at the sun just beginning to rise and I remembered someone that I have met on my journey that was always up and working before the crack of dawn.
In Korea we lived on a little housing area in the middle of Seoul. This area housed all families with the rank of Captain or below and Staff Seargent and below. The are was completely fenced with security at all exits and had it's own chapel, commissary, sports fields and childcare center. Each family was allowed one vehicle when they were sponsored to move to Korea. The pollution in Seoul is pretty high. Because of this, our vehicles which were parked in outside parking, were filthy. Vic and I brought over a Toyota xtra cab truck that was beautiful and white.
Every morning a Korean man would come to our housing area and wash the cars of the people who had become his clients. When we moved to Korea, our sponsors introduced us to "Car Wash Atashe". This was the name that he had affectionately been given. For a small fee paid at the beginning of the month, Car Wash Atashe would wash your vehicle every day. We asked him to add us to his clientele and showed him our new white truck.
The mornings that I needed the truck, Vic would take a bus to work. The opposite was true. When Mitch and I didn't need the truck, we usually walked everywhere or took the bus. Car Wash Atashe would have the truck washed and shining for whoever in the family needed it. I can remember walking out with Mitch in tow, on the way to his preschool, and seeing our friend buffing the last drop of water off the truck. He worked hard and was very proud of what he did. In the winter, he would time our exit, and pour hot water over the locks so that we could easily get into our vehicle. No matter the weather, Car Wash Atashe was out in his work clothes making sure our cars were clean.
The way he cleaned our cars was amazing. He would carry two large buckets and he had a stash of towels and soap. For every car, and there were hundreds, he would get fresh water, and transport it to the car he was working on. I'm amazed to this day of how easy he made his task look.
The most amazing thing of all was something many never saw. One day, and I don't remember why, I was at the chapel very late into the evening. The chapel was at the outskirt of the housing area, right next to a guard point. As I was leaving, I saw Car Wash Atashe go behind the guard house into the bathroom. When he came out he was fully dressed in a three piece suit, with shiny shoes and a briefcase. He had transformed into a Korean businessman. I realized then that this was his business. The mornings were the same in reverse. Our Korean friend would commute to work in his business attire, and change when he arrived into his car wash clothes. He would work a full day without break and then change back into his suit.
Car Wash Atashe's pride in his work and dedication to what he did continues to inspire me. Every job we do, if we do it well, is something to be proud of. Regardless of pay, or what society thinks of importance, every job done well is a success. Today, my morning commute was down an elevator and into a work room at a conference center. No big pomp and circumstance, no fancy clothes or titles or recognition. Like Car Wash Atashe, I will work hard today and I will be dedicated to the job that I'm setting out to do. At the end of the day, I'll hang up my hat and know that I have given it my very best. To me, that's success.
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