The Threads That Hold It All Together

Custodians and janitors are not always looked upon with respect or admiration.  Yet they are the very ones who often keep a business, school, office, home or other facility in good shape, clean and maintained.  On one of my polls in the past I asked if people considered this job to be demeaning.  Many individuals replied with a "yes".

It's sad, but true, that a job that is so basic to the fabric of a building and society and that keeps disease and clutter at bay is so often looked at with condescension.  Yet, those of us who are in this field continue ever onward doing our job, working behind the scenes, happy to avoid the limelight while knowing that we are an integral part of holding the world's infrastructure together.

In fact, have you ever noticed how many times in movies there is a scene somewhere in the story line where a janitor or custodian is seen in the background vacuuming, mopping, cleaning windows, cleaning an office, emptying garbage and more?  I would venture to guess that 90% of the movie/TV goers never notice this. Most likely this is because these snippets are inserted to give the picture a feel of realism which implies that this field of work is a necessity.  Although not in the limelight, their presence in the picture adds realism to the attempt to make the viewer believe that what they are watching is real.  And therein lies our existence although mostly invisible.

I say "hurrah" to all the custodians and janitors out there in the world that keep plugging along, caring for themselves and their families and doing their work with a sense of pride and satisfaction.  Keep up the good work! The world cannot live without you!  You are the thread that holds it all together.