Bees at work (XV). How people dignify time by working.
It is another last Friday of the month of February. Time passes by without hesitation, isn´t it?. We start today by rebuking what could be a cruel beginning of war in Eastern Europe, a conflict that is taking place between Russia and Ukraine. We implore a diplomatic solution to disentangle whatever list of issues in between these two countries. We call upon a concord settlement to prevent the death of innocent people. We also urge the United Nations, religious-spiritual leaders all over the world, and anyone who loves peace; to arbitrate and intercede as soon as possible to avoid more bloody combats and hostilities in that area. We crave prompt cease-fire and reconciliation.
Today we will start our earnest article with an optimistic message. Our last episode was a bit sour in relation to our future of working because we meant to open your eyes to an inhumane brutal truth, if we don´t do anything to solve our most outstanding issues on earth, including the excessive and non-regulated utilization of disruptive technologies. Therefore, today we will close our week with a positive analysis. How people dignify time by working.
What is to dignify? Dignify is to confer dignity or honor to something or someone. Dignify means to give distinction or to raise the status of something (or someone) that is considered lowly or unworthy. Dignify is to make honorable with dignity. Dignity genuine meaning is a term that has been forgotten. Dignify is a verb, so it is pure action of dignity. And dignity is a value, the quality or state of expressing esteem and receiving respect. Dignity comes from the Latin “dignus”, which represents worthy.
Synonyms of dignity are self-respect, esteem, poise, self-worth, formality, seriousness, decorum, respectfulness, grandeur, worthiness, goodness, nobleness, excellence, respectability, propriety, honor, grace for favor with the distinction of admirable quality, fulfilled with magnificence, stick to high-integral standards, elevated personal and community satisfaction, or to be in accordance with uprightness or diligence for exquisiteness.
The opposite antonym of dignifying is to degrade.
Our mission on planet earth has been established since Genesis. As set much as God worked with diligence to provide us the planet Earth and all its beauties, he also commanded us to protect the oeuvres of his work, to prevent any harm to them, and to watch over them. The art of God was of first-rate dignity:
- God created the light over darkness
- God conceived the time, the day, the night
- God originated the planets, the sun, the moon and all the universe as we know it.
- God generated the oceans
- God designed and arranged up the sky
- God gave rise to the land, and the seeds for all the flora (vegetation). He also planted an orchard, a garden to show us how to care for it.
- God created the fauna, all the animals (of every species and respective gender).
- And finally he created men, women, each different and unique; for the purpose of having children and accomplish the mission of “till, cultivate and care for the Earth´s artworks of God ”.
Afterward, God sent Jesus Christ to show us the main lesson for our existence, the meaning of love. Loving God, others, and ourselves. That is what Jesus came to conduct. Jesus also combined his path on earth with a lot of work by revealing and sharing (with his own example) how to love. To transmit about Jesus’ life is very complex because it is not only by words, but also we must teach with our actions, our own example when we interact with others, and when we work. So it is a huge responsibility, and it is not easy to be a role model of perfection to love. Not even priests or pastors or ministers of God are able to do it flawlessly, because teaching about love, requires to love and be loved in sanctity and with dignity.
Working shouldn´t be a reason for degradation. If we have a mission to accomplish that is to “pass on” about God´s instructions from Genesis; and to display love to God, others, and ourselves; then we must recognize that Jesus gave it all for us, and he already empowered us, with his own example on how to proceed with our tenure of life. We all have a life “lease” of no more than 100 years (on average). And we have been instructed to work with dignity, as Jesus did it, not with degradation. If you read the 4 books of the apostles in the New Testament, Jesus taught us about the meaning of “work”. Jesus was instructed with an excellent education in Egypt and Israel. Jesus worked intensely in his role as a carpenter. But he also decoupled from Joseph, his earthly temporal father; and worked hard to fulfill his calling of redemption for us, a mission that was pre-established by his eternal Father God. Jesus underwent all types of suffering from the Jews of that time and the Romans, so we don´t have to go through that agony again. Consequently, Jesus, the son of God, also performed his work, with merit, with a dignity pursuit, to the point in which he is the only confirmed human that has been resurrected for everlasting life.
To work is supposed to characterize us with dignity. But we are not Jesus, only mortals. Each of us is born with exquisite talents that we must discover through our lifetime. We go to school to be more reasonable people, to leave the animal basic status, and diligently evolve to discover our fortes, our capacities, our abilities, and our gifts. Everything with the purpose to find what makes us happy internally, and what we can do better with exquisiteness and higher standards. The reason why we continue holding roles of servitude (or modern enslavement) is simply that we have not developed integrally our mindsets and talents from a heritage of 6,000 years of slavery. The reason for this saga is to show you why and what can we do about it.
When people dignify time by working, you instantaneously sense it. We directly see in these people, their radiance and satisfaction when they speak, they act, they feel, and they interact with others. We instantaneously discern that they are knowledgeable in doing what they are meant to do by vocation, not because of money. We can perceive it in their mood, or character. We can notice it in their aura, regardless of their difficulties, problems or/and obstacles, people who dignify their own work are unique, they are caring for their reputation and clients. They are extremely committed to excellence. Their glow and commitment to exceptionally high-quality, overpass the desire for immediate cash-on-hand, and the results of their work are admirably refined. That delightful delicate work is the expression of their dignity.
No matter what decent and respectable type of work, in whatever industry or discipline, when people dignify work, they don´t need to use the sex excitement to turn on our interest. They don´t need to descend to animal sexual conduct levels to raise up. They don´t need to show off nudity or to practice wicked vices to call our attention (vices defined morally unacceptable as drugs consumption, alcohol, smoking cigarettes or tobacco, cussing, fast driving, watching pornography, cheating, prostituting, criminal conduct, gambling, gossiping, or performing deviant and damaging attitudes toward their viewers).
No matter what decent and respectable type of work: if cleaners, drivers, managers, technicians, mechanics, operators, physicians, lawyers, stitchers, poets, writers, artists, scientists, professors, traders, engineers, moms, or any other professional type of occupation workers; when people dignify working, they do it for the sake of honorable intentions, with dignity, with love, and with plenty of inner happiness.
In our next episode, we will continue exploring the meaningful work that denotes happiness. See you next Tuesday then.
Strategic reflection music section:
Why did we pick Gente de Zona´s music? Gente de Zona is a relatively emerging new group in the Latin American context of music. Nevertheless, their songs show what seems to be accepted and bought by the youngest audiences. We also do not want to judge the political situation of Cuba, which is clearly stained by decades of poverty. Just remember that Eleonora Escalante Strategy is also a researcher entity that promotes the evolution of political-economic systems with God/Jesus mission at the core of our decisions, and we support the ethical capitalism of entrepreneurs as the next frontier to investigate and test.
Our Latin American rhythms are an expression of cheerful repetitive patterns which are sticky to our own heartbeats. These compositions trigger in us the desire to dance. But at the same time, there are songs that express the wrath expressed in anger that is bottled up from inherited slavery. Music also is made with articulated repressed messages otherwise impossible to say. The new emerging artists of Latin America (who have started to be famous this past decade) still ought to comprehend that their artwork will be elevated when they show dignity in their work quality (superb voices, fabulous LIVE bands with real instruments, exquisite arrangements, original harmonious partituras). More importantly, dignity based on decent and reputable shows not in nudity or other vices, but in self-respect for virtuous interpretations. There is a long way to go for the emerging youth music Latin talents. Keep working hard with God´s love at the center of your efforts. Please. When you sing and perform to honor God, his pure saintly love, and God´s creations; indirectly and without naming Jesus, you are praising him. To love Jesus means to conduct and perform excellence, works full of the dignity of respect, not just with your art, but with your personal endeavors. Y se nota que Dios reina en su corazón.
Songs of today belong to Alondra de la Parra. We start with Danzon n° 2 of Arturo Márquez with the Impossible Orchestra, in the midst of the pandemic. The second song is the Theme ESPN Olympic Games Río 2016, with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. And the third one is Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 1 in D Major, Op. 25 – directing the Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Elb Philharmonie, Hamburg in September 2017. Enjoy!
Thank you for reading to me. See you next Friday. Blessings!
Sources of reference used for this publication.
Disclaimer: Illustrations in Watercolor are painted by Eleonora Escalante. Other types of illustrations or videos (which are not mine) are used for educational purposes ONLY. Nevertheless, most of the pictures, images, or videos shown on this blog are not mine. I do not own any of the lovely photos or images posted unless otherwise stated.
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