Stop Complaining and Do Your Job

The election is over and we’re still here. The world did not end. But now begins the larger battle of 2020. At least the annoying ads should stop for awhile.

This is a tough time of year. We’re worn out from the election. The days are shorter, cold air is moving in, and we’re in a mad rush to get any outside work done before the first intractable snowstorm. Then we can start worrying about Christmas preparations. Even changing clocks in our favor still messes with our schedules.

So, it’s natural that we’re back to complaining again about day-to-day things like our ailments and that lazy neighbor who never rakes his leaves. We could even get back to complaining about the weather but now that just leads to arguing about global warming.

Too many of us aren’t happy unless we can point a finger at someone else for some shortcoming. Some of us have this down to a science. Me, for example. I complain about a lot of things. Just ask my wife and personal psychoanalyst Catherine. I’m writing this as part of my therapy and penance.

This perceived notion of irresponsibility in others can involve anything and anyone. How come the city never fixes that broken street light? Why don’t the stores in town carry my size? Who forgot to put a new roll of toilet paper on the holder?

There’s a guy who never obeys the stop sign on our street. He doesn’t use turn signals, either. I guess the laws don’t apply to him. Then there are the drivers who use the middle lane on Main St. as a merge lane. It’s a left turn lane, folks, not a merge lane. If drivers from both sides use it as a merge lane there will eventually be a head-on crash.

So, we have scofflaws and those who complain about them. People need to take ownership of their responsibilities and complainers need to stop whining and do something about the problems they see. Maybe it was just a bad hair day when you forgot that it was your turn to make the coffee and bring the donuts to the weekly meeting. Maybe you didn’t even know you were supposed to do it. OK, but check the schedule and if there isn’t one, ask for one. And keep it on your calendar.

How many times have you been stood up by the cable guy, plumber, electrician or other service? I can accept that things happen, but would it kill them to give me a call that they need to postpone rather than having me wait around for hours? It’s unacceptable for them to say they will be there sometime between 8 and 5. They can set a time and call me from a cell phone if they are running late.

As members of society our job is to obey the laws and maintain common good will toward each other. This must be difficult to do since so many choose otherwise.

“I’m in too much of a hurry to return the shopping cart to the corral. They have staff for that.”

“The trailer lights aren’t working again but I need to haul these leaves now. I’ll fix them later.”

“I’m going fishing for just a few hours today, so why should I buy a license?”

“I don’t donate to a charity because there’s no tax deduction anymore.”

How many times have you heard, “it wasn’t in my job description” or “that’s beyond my pay grade”? These snide remarks aimed at fending off responsibility are not entertaining anymore and further darken our discourse.

These people would be slackers to Mr. Strickland at his “Back to the Future” high school. We know what a stop sign is and it is our job to obey it, even when no one is around. If a street light is out, report it to the city. If a store does not carry your size, ask them to consider it. If the toilet paper holder is empty, put on a new roll and add TP to the shopping list. Fix your trailer lights. Buy a one-day fishing license. Simply put – take ownership of your complaints and be a citizen who cares enough to follow the law.

Have you attended a meeting where an idea is suggested, such as organizing an event, and everyone agrees it is a good idea but then no planning is done? Who will lead the effort? Who will do the actual work? You may have assumed someone would take care of it because they always do. But you know what happens when you assume.

To better illustrate this, here’s a short essay (author unknown) that sums up responsibility quite well. It was photocopied and posted in our church sacristy by someone who was no doubt trying to make a point.

Once upon a time there were four people

named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody.

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.

Sound familiar? We are Everybody. We don’t all have to be friends or even like each other, but 

if Everybody works together to get the job done, we won’t need to complain.

Don’t leave it up to Somebody, Anybody, or Nobody.