I want to share a story about Christmas Gloves with you. So this post is going to be a little off-topic from our usual subjects, this is Ivan here. Mandy decided to share her little slice of virtual real estate with me to share some of my thoughts. So if you were hoping for something cute or delicious, be warned that you will be disappointed!
CHRISTMAS GLOVES
Several years ago when we were living in Texas and we could not make it home to Utah for Christmas, my parents sent us a box of gifts to open on Christmas morning. The gift with my name on it seemed pretty lame on the surface. My dad had sent me a pair of winter work gloves. Yep, work gloves. I thought it kinda funny that he gave me gloves for Christmas since I had very little use for them at the time, and well it’s kinda hard to get excited about work gloves. The kids thought it was kinda funny too. A boring pair of work gloves, $15.99 from the Bear River Valley Coop. Mom never remembered to take the price tags off!
AMERICAN DREAM
I have to admit that one of my first thoughts, when I opened the Christmas gloves, was, “Wow, Dad must not know me anymore.” I had reached a point in my career where I really never had a need for gloves. As a mill manager, I was still plenty connected to the blue-collar world but I wasn’t the one shoveling grain, stacking bags, or turning wrenches. My daily work had become centered around spreadsheets and meetings. It seems that many people in our country would consider that a sign of success. The fact that I was no longer relegated to “manual labor” but could leverage my education and “leadership skills” is an indication that I had made it and was now living the American Dream. I wasn’t so sure. The realization that I had little use for the gloves actually made me feel kind of bad like I had lost an important piece of my identity.
LESSON IN PERSPECTIVE
It turned out, however, that those Christmas gloves were pretty valuable, just not in the way dad had expected them to be. At first, I laughed and told the kids how funny it was that we always got gloves or tools for Christmas. But as I reflected on those childhood gifts a deep appreciation came to my heart. Of course, my parents would get us toys too, but without fail, there was always something under the tree that we could use on the farm; gloves, chore boots, lariats, pliers, coveralls, etc. I’m pretty sure I even found a pair of fencing pinchers in my stocking one year! Our Christmas morning experience was not common but surely not unique either. I’m pretty sure it is a common practice among farm and ranch families the world over (along with the time-honored tradition that nobody opens presents till the cows are fed).
HARD WORK
As I thought about those Christmas Gloves and other gifts, it occurred to me that those gifts were symbolic of a greater gift. My parents instilled within me a “work ethic” and that has been one of the greatest gifts they could have given me. I was overcome with gratitude for the men in my life that taught by example the principles of hard work, integrity, perseverance, and faith.
A WAY OF LIFE
Working alongside my Dad, Grandpa, and three older brothers meant that I could see firsthand that work could not only be endured but enjoyed as well. My family is very passionate about the farm and we actually did get excited about getting gifts like wrench rolls or saddles. From that example, I learned to be passionate about whatever task or career I would pursue. The farm was more than just an income for our family, it was a way of life. For better or worse, (sometimes worse) I have had a difficult time shedding that mentality. I have always felt that my jobs have been an essential part of my identity and I bring that kind of passion to them.
CHARACTER
I also realized that if I did possess any leadership traits, they could be credited to the farm experiences more than anything else. As a farm kid, I learned valuable character lessons that have been a blessing to me later in life.
A few examples:
- I had to learn to do hard things. Sometimes with help, but oftentimes completely alone.
- I learned that some tasks simply had to be done no matter the obstacles so I learned how to improvise and persevere.
- I learned that even mundane and difficult tasks can be opportunities to learn something and to bond with someone; be it a brother, a cousin, or a co-worker.
“Let us realize that the privilege to work is a gift, that the power to work is a blessing, that the love of work is success”
David O Mckay
EFFORT
These life lessons have been valuable to me economically, but they are also spiritual blessings. Elder Neal A Maxwell taught the following: “In fact, brethren, work is always a spiritual necessity even if, for some, work is not an economic necessity.” It seems there is something about hard work that is good for our souls. At a deep level, I think that we all crave the feeling of accomplishment, but it is only an authentic feeling when we have put in the effort.
IDENTITY
As a society, we have become more disconnected from hard labor. As the years progress, it seems we drift further away from what used to be considered hard work. Between automation and outsourcing, fewer and fewer people are working with their hands producing our food or building things. Now I have come to appreciate the marvels of what ‘techies’ can accomplish with keyboards and screens and I also have a deeper understanding of the “soft skills” needed to manage teams or sell goods. However, I wonder if our modern society is also wrestling with the psychological effects of having no need for “work gloves” so to speak. Perhaps our nation is slowly losing touch with this same crucial piece of our identity.
CALLOUSED HANDS
When my kids aren’t busy doing something productive they seem much more prone to argue and fight. Maybe that is the source of all of our discontent. Maybe it’s time to turn off our favored cable news channel or social media and go outside and do something productive. Or maybe folks like me just need to come to terms with the notion that eye strain from screens has now replaced calloused hands as the hallmark of a hard worker. What I do know is that I am extremely grateful for the lessons I learned on the farm, for Christmas Gloves, and for all of those who still get callouses every day doing the jobs that simply need to be done.
chas shi
Saturday 15th of January 2022
Touching, enjoyable read. Thank you :)
MANDY
Monday 17th of January 2022
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it.
Brenda Griggs
Monday 28th of December 2020
How true. The gloves are a symbol of the gift your parents had actually given you- the ability and desire to work hard, no matter what the job was. That’s a gift of more value than anything under a Christmas tree.