Routine Work: A Large Part of Life

All of us are sometimes tired, sometimes discouraged and bored with the routine of duties. All work, assignments, professions, all occupations are sometimes repetitious. Not anyone can see the ultimate results of all his efforts. Not anyone does great things all the time. There is routine, unexciting essentials, in every occupation. There are uninteresting parts, preparation, and tedious in-between times in every pursuit and profession. In the theatre it’s rehearsing and memorizing and make-up, and a thousand tedious but necessary details. In research, it is long and repetitive tasks, with an elusive hope for results. In teaching it is patient preparing, explaining, correcting papers, and seeing some progress, but not measurable each day. In law it is listening to many tedious troubles, and attention to may details. In medicine, it is much of listening to the ailments of many people, much careful checking, losing some, helping some to health, with some dramatic and satisfying results. And so one might pick from every profession. There are good days and bad days⎯encouraging and frustrating days for all of us. And if anyone were to become too critical of his service, or his situation, it is significant that everyone at times could find reason to say the same. Those times when we are sure that we are significantly serving or making best use of our lives are not always in evidence⎯not even for people in high places. If we took anyone and analyzed his life, much of it would be less than what might appear possible. And when we become restless, dissatisfied or discouraged with what we are doing , it might just be the normal restlessness or boredom that would be expected in almost any occupation. In any case, someone has to do all the work of the world. Everyone who helps is useful, and no one avoids all the routine tasks and details. “The great happiness of life, I find, after all,” said Schiller, “to consist in the regular discharge of some…duty.”