When I was a little kid in school, I sometimes saw other kids pick on the janitors.
- This was more common in middle school.
The kids were immature and trying to act tough. The reason this behavior bothered me so much was because my father is a janitor. He has always taken a great deal of pride in his work. Hearing the other kids say derogatory comments made me question whether there was some reason to be ashamed of my dad’s line of work. I didn’t want them to learn the truth about my father’s occupation. I was worried about what my peers might think. I finally told my father about it. He didn’t seem surprised or upset. He explained the difficulties and importance of his job. He told me that if I value the opinion of these kids to the point of where I am ashamed of the truth, I would end up spending my life catering to what others think. I took that wisdom to heart. I decided to be proud of my father’s cleaning services. I saw that if cleaning companies didn’t exist, all sorts of government offices, public buildings and commercial spaces would have been a complete mess. My dad doesn’t just empty garbage cans and clean carpets. He works to disinfect surfaces and kill bacteria, germs and viruses. He helps to keep these environments healthy, safe and comfortable. It’s hard work but also very important. Plus, the money my father earns as a janitor is how my family affords to live.