A Worker and A Builder

But I've been thinking about who I am when everyone else is stripped away.  If I had nobody else to attach my definition to, what would remain?

 

Reflective

Writer

Observer

Nature-lover

Thinker

 

"Thinker" has been a common descriptor I've used for myself for many years.  I naturally find myself unpacking everything down to its tiniest atom.  I seek a deep understanding of everything and everyone I encounter; I enjoy the process of that exploration.  This very topic is evidence of that- what or who am I at my core? I have to say that I held a lot of pride in this over the years - just the fact that I considered things deeply. 

 

But I was humbled by my son on this topic recently and it lead to some searching introspection.  He was working on his letter recognition and reading with my husband the other night and he just wasn't getting "G".  Joel told me that he got frustrated and said, "I'm not a thinker, Dad.  I'm a worker and a builder."  

 

It comes down to this: No thinking in the world is worthwhile until the hard work of sharing it is done.  Every philosopher has had not only to just ponder a theory- they had to put it into writing - writing that was clear and passionate and persuasive!  And writing is hard, hard work.

 

If you want to be a builder you will need to learn math and planning and design and think through all of it before getting down to work.  The thinking will come necessarily with the desire to build. Thinking things through is almost an afterthought of the work.  If you enjoy 'working' the same applies- you will have to think through the best way to execute on a project in order to be effective in your work.

 

My son is a builder and a worker.  He will get the job done with gusto and enthusiasm.  He will put his work out into the world without hesitation.  He will not think deeply about why or what for- he will just do it and share it.  He will not fear failure because a project finished is better than a project only imagined.

 

Thinking is absolutely worthless unless you are willing to put in the hard work of following through on the plans you are thinking up.  Nothing matters to anyone else if it's all just in your head.

 

And that brings me back to relationships.  Workers, builders... "Doers" are very connected to people.  They create our homes, our workspaces, our roads, our stories- they create the infrastructures of our lives.  Thinkers are at risk of not contributing.  They observe, muse, ponder.  They may easily fade into the background, so busy are they simply observing.  Now, don't get me wrong, thinkers who also work... well, now they are in the worker category.  Artists, authors, philosophers, teachers, designers, academics.

 

I was grounded by my son because he taught me that being 'a thinker' is nothing special.  In fact, I am ashamed by the pride I had in such a thing.  How silly it seems now!  I want to be like my son.  I want to be a worker.

 

Doing the work is what will make the difference- whatever that difference is that you are looking for.