Sweet Thoughts – Who Will Do It?
Have you heard or read the poem by Charles Osgood of “Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody”? I recently re-read this and felt the need to share. The poem is about four people with those names as listed above.
Osgood wrote, “There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have.”
When I read this, I automatically thought back to many conversations with my children and then even farther back to conversations my mom had with me and my siblings. The conversations started with the parent asking the child” who made this mess?” And every child answered without hesitation, “Not me” or “I don’t know.” Apparently, there are two extra people living in my house by those names, and they lived with us back in my parents’ home as well.
There are many things we are faced with every day that we don’t want to do. Responsibility, accountability and action can be tough for people when faced with an unpleasant task. However, when something needs to be done, it needs to be done.
I was reminded of another quote by Theodore Roosevelt in a meeting I recently attended. I love this quote. It goes like this. “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
I think about MOMS (and Dads), who are there in the middle of the night to help clean up someone else’s vomit, who are called upon when a diaper needs to be changed, who vacuum, dust, do dishes and laundry that aren’t just theirs, who give rides at all hours, who clean up dog poop or litter boxes, who take care of spiders and who pay for everything. Yes, I realize young people and old do not like chores of any kind. They are called chores for a reason, however, helping out shouldn’t be a chore, even if it's doing something we are really excited about doing. (Shout out to custodial crews everywhere. You are amazing. We all appreciate you when we walk into an elementary school and see the sawdust on the floor. YUK! GROSS! Thank you!!!)
My reminder to ME, and anyone who thinks they might also need it: Everybody can pitch in; Somebody can take the initiative and do the tough thing; Anybody can offer a helping hand and Nobody is better than anyone else, nor too good to help out! Have a great day!
