Peessshhheeeewwww.
The air brakes release on the rental car shuttle at the Phoenix airport last Thursday and a packed bus starts to make its way to the terminal.
Peessshhheeeewwww.
I roll my head back and let out a deep, silent sigh. A great day of training youth workers and talking to people about the Student Justice Conference. In just a few hours I’ll be home.
Sandals versus Gators
Business travel is generally a solo activity. People make small talk on shuttles or over a meal at an airport bar. But, largely, I find it’s an insular activity often distracted by keeping up with email, texting, looking at your travel details on Tripit, and stuff like that.
As I tip my head back and let out my end-of-day sigh I noticed something: Everyone in the front of the bus is in a suit. These are men in business suits, with leather bags, expensive watches, and nice shoes. The guy standing directly across from me is wearing high-end shoes made from alligator hide.
I look at my own feet. I’m wearing Tevas. My “business suit” includes casual shorts and an untucked polo. I don’t have a $500 leather briefcase. I have a $50 backpack that a friend gave to me a couple years ago.
Instantly, I feel inferior.
Actually, I feel stupid.
These guys are serious business people. They probably look at me as some schmuck in town to watch Spring Training.
In that moment I felt…. illegitimate.
That Suit Doesn’t Mean Success
This little pity party lasted about a block. That’s when I remembered a couple quick facts.
- They are dressed appropriately for the work they do, but so am I.
- Based on national averages they bought those fancy clothes on credit. That watch? Credit card. The Lexus waiting for them at the airport back home? It’s financed. I might not have anything from Brooks Brothers. But everything I have is paid for. And I think credit is for suckers.
- Based on the same math, many of them are poorer today than yesterday. I made a profit, facts are facts.
- The men they are repping probably wears a suit, too. The man I’m repping didn’t ever own a suit and wore sandals to work every day. (Solid Jesus Juke, right there. Adam takes a bow.)
The Scorecard
I don’t have to feel inferior. Despite how I felt in that moment I do, indeed– and to the amazement of my parents– have a “real job.”
In fact, I think I have something a lot better than a “real job.” I have a life’s work that I’m fully invested in, that’s fulfilling and fun and provides a decent living for my family.
And yes, there are moments where I look at big houses on Zillow or look at AutoTrader, and yes… I wish I had more and bigger and fancier and whatever.
Seats I think I deserve vs seats I actually have. cc: @AztecClub pic.twitter.com/vOOV3x4Jgp
— Adam McLane (@mclanea) March 5, 2015
I wish I had a boat and a vacation house and… and… and…
But I don’t have anything to complain about. I made my own choices about the kind of life I want to live and the calling I want to pursue.
If I wanted that life it was there for me 15 years ago. I didn’t get kicked out. I quit.
I was there, in the land of suits and gators and big fancy meetings with big fancy people. And you know what? It wasn’t for me.
And just like I had this moment where I felt inferior to the group of men in their fancy business suits… there’s a high likelihood that one of those dudes was looking at me and thinking, “One day I’d like to live a life where I can wear sandals, shorts, a polo, and carry a backpack to work.” Why? Because we all want what we don’t have.
Satisfaction isn’t found in stuff or position or $700 gators.
Satisfaction comes from something far more simple.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
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