Doing Nothing

Years ago I ran a janitorial business. As a side-line, I advertised window cleaning services. Since I disliked cleaning windows I charged a premium price. If I did not get the job I was happy. If I did get the job it meant I would have a fatter wallet.

So it came to pass that on an early spring morning I was called to bid on a job cleaning windows in a mansion hunkered in the middle of many acres of land overlooking a wide flowing river. As the lady of the house proudly showed me the work needing to be performed I followed her through the spacious house paying close attention to every detail. I wrote up an estimate at which she but glanced. I must have impressed her with my professionalism for she hired me on the spot.

I arrived early the next morning with my helper so as to get a good start. I saw a raggedy man looking my way as if he was expecting me. He was standing with a group of other raggedy men who I took to be landscapers and gardeners come to tend the vast estate. I pointed out to my helper where I wanted to set up and while he went back to the truck to unload our equipment I walked over to the men to let them know we would be working around the house too so as not to interfere with the doing of our respective jobs.

I smiled and greeted each of these men one by one. Most did not speak English. My Spanish was haltingly rusty but I knew enough to say hello and shaking their hands I introduced myself. The raggedy man, who seemed to be in charge, spoke English as fluently as I did. We talked of things that strangers meeting one another might speak of. He agreed that they would start working in an area below the house so they would not hinder our work or we theirs, and then each of us went on with our labors.

Later that afternoon as we finished our toils and all the windows were sparkling and my helper began stowing away our equipment I went inside to present the bill to the lady of the house. The raggedy man who I had spoken to that morning was sitting there at the table with her. I wondered to myself why a manual worker would be enjoying coffee with this obviously refined and wealthy woman.

Though I didn’t say anything perhaps the woman noticed a puzzled look on my brow. She introduced the raggedy man as her husband. This man she said had invented a product used in nearly every car in America. He owned a multi-billion dollar corporation. He seemed embarrassed by her words, as if showing his wealth made him uncomfortable. When he looked my way he merely shrugged his shoulders as if his accomplishments meant no more than anyone’s.

The man stood beckoning me with a twist of his chin to follow him outside. We walked to an enormous tree that grew close to the river. He said look at this tree! We both stood admiring it while he spoke again.

When I first came across it we hadn’t yet built the house. I thought how much lumber it would make! But look at its branches. They are all twisted and full of knots. Not one straight board could be cut from such a tree. Look at its roots, how they twist and curl into the ground! A man couldn’t even make his own a coffin from this tree. This tree is good for nothing. That’s why it has grown so long and become so beautiful.

All people know the advantage of being useful but few heed the virtue of being useless.

This man was rich beyond count yet he was humble and lived close to the earth. He was a brilliant inventor and a bold business man yet he preferred working with the soil alongside men who had little more than the clothes on their backs. I took note of this. I thought I could do worse than to pattern my own life after such a man and to model myself after such a tree.

So I treat everyone as my equal by neither exalting the wealthy nor looking down upon the poor. I smile and say hello to the rich executive in his fancy suite of offices praising him on his fine clothes as well as complimenting the custodian mopping the floor on how spotlessly clean things are. In this way, I have no quarrels with anyone.

I do not collect things that are valuable to my heart and so no one can steal anything from me. I would give away what I have if I am asked knowing it will return in kind. There are no thieves in the world, only lovers. I close my eyes to shiny trinkets and bright objects so desires do not arise and confuse my heart.

I desire nothing more than to eat when I am hungry and to drink when I am thirsty. I strengthen my bones while I weaken my ambitions. By leading a life without great knowledge or a driving desire the clever people do not notice me. They do not try and interfere with my actions. They leave me alone to do nothing.

And all is well.