Yesterday, I felt the pay-off.

(Sadly, it wasn't monetary).

Nonetheless, I got paid. The past month at work has been wrought with stress for me.  I thought my restaurant might die a death by a thousand cuts.  So many small problems were hurting staff morale, customer support, and overall operations.  I've been working what feels like around-the-clock hours to try to put out fires and create better systems or organization and communication.  

And I've never used so many file folders in my life.

After all the scurrying, all the sleepless nights, all the meetings I took with staff, we finally had a smooth day yesterday. I couldn't believe it. Our team morale improved.  Customers got good service.  The systems I put in place worked. And I exhaled deeply for the first since Christmas day.

Earlier this week, a picture of my Dad working in the woods fell out of an old book that I happened to find.  And I felt so proud to be a part of a line of hard workers.  There's no better way to control a problem than to simply get to work. My dad must have discovered that truth, too.

Reader, some days we can feel like we're knocking our heads against a wall, working our fingers to the bone, and nothing is changing.  But things are changing.  Every bit of work we do adds up.  It may not add up quickly. It may not add up to money.  But work pays off in some way, in the end.

And I'm off to keep at it.  See you next Monday. -Em