It's not a criticism, it's an observation.
Working like a sheepdog
Mike Cox

Once upon a time, cartoons were entertaining. Most had vivid characters, a plot, and usually, a moral. Cartoons today are either marketing tools for the next great toy or a politically correct, wishful thinking, piece of drivel. If longing for the days of good cartoons is a sign of growing crotchety, I'm guilty. Live with it, you whippersnappers.

One of my favorites featured a stupid looking sheep dog protecting his flock from a streetwise wolf. The wolf, obviously superior, is planning to sneak dinner from under the nose of the earnest, but dumb, watch dog.

The sentinel seems lucky at first, barely able to thwart his cunning adversary. As the story progresses, it becomes evident the wolf is the one who is overmatched. Arrogance turns to desperation as the predator tries more elaborate schemes to capture a sheep.

It is eventually clear the wolf will leave hungry and be lucky to escape with his life. The sheepdog finally gets his hands on the predator and is in the process of dispatching him when a whistle blows.

The dog releases his prisoner. Both of them walk to a time clock and punch out. They pick up lunch pails, say goodnight to each other, and leave. Another shift arrives and picks up where the previous two adversaries left off.

Anytime I take work too seriously or encounter someone who thinks what they do defines them, I remember that cartoon. It's easy to become seriously addicted to a job. I don't mean trying to do our best, I mean acting as though the world would end if we weren't around to complete our tasks.

I understand being proud of surviving medical school or having the stamina and drive to get a master's degree in education, but I know people who are cocky because they work at the fine jewelry department at Wal-Mart.

For many, occupation becomes an obsession. The world revolves around tasks at work. We are afraid to take time off. Even our friends come from the office. But I can tell you with certainty, leave a job and the place closes quickly around the empty hole. It's like pulling your hand from a bucket of water.

If you know someone who thinks their office would collapse without them, tell them about the cartoon. Taking pride in what you do is important; so is earning your salary. But as the workplace has become more addictive, the performance of most places has declined. We'd be better off to work efficiently, then leave work at work to recharge the batteries. Most places would see improvement.

That may scare some of us. No one wants to be dispensable; not in today's climate of downsizing and cutbacks. Everyone wants to do something that is important to civilization.

But there are only so many important jobs that require the best and brightest of us. Head of Exxon, president of the National Evangelicals, and Leader of the Free World come to mind. On second thought, maybe those aren't good examples.