Jonathan placed his electric wine bottle opener onto a bottle of wine then pressed the button. Gears grinded for a few moments, then the opener went dead. Marco came to the rescue with his Swiss Army Knife. He used the corkscrew attachment to swiftly remove the cork from the bottle.
Marco is one of the most pragmatic people I know. If a gadget or appliance is useful for many tasks, he’s satisfied. Specialty products or items that require more expense and time to do the same job than a simpler tool raise his ire. One of his most often used statements is, “That doesn’t make sense.” Marco’s sense of satisfaction about solving the wine bottle problem with his old multi-purpose tool was palpable.
Marco is one of my friend Jonathan’s cousins. He makes his living as a multi-certified, professional handyman. He uses his many skills to help people complete home repair projects; fix motor vehicle engines; repair small electrical and electronic appliances; and tackle many other assorted broken things. His skillset has paid generous dividends; so he can live a comfortable yet practical lifestyle.
Marco embodies the ultimate working entrepreneur archetype. As a single parent, he takes care of his family and domestic duties while making a living serving his customers with necessary help in their lives. He strives to create a secure, warm domestic environment for his children while providing a necessary service in our community.
Marco values his independence and ability to live independently with a stable income to provide and nurture his children. He seems to have struck a healthy balance between work and home life despite working from home. He wisely portions his work time and his “me” time. His practical mind has generated a wholesome level of financial and emotional security. He has used this security to maintain a loving home environment while working at what he loves doing best. He is a prime example of pragmatism at its best.
Life was not always this rosy for Marco. He said that his life had a serious work/domestic imbalance. He was consumed by his job as a representative for a small drugstore chain. He spent long hours in the office and more time on the road. He had a habit of bringing work home. This led to relationship problems with his kids. Wanting to be a better father, he resigned from his corporate job and began doing “fix-it” work with skills that he already knew. This gave Marco more time to spend with his kids and to hone his working skills.
It is this sense of being a pragmatic but loving father figure that allowed him to nurture and care for people’s practical needs while creating a comfortable, secure lifestyle for his children and himself. Marco says he is glad he was able to turn his life around and be what he always wanted to be–someone who makes a living with his hands.
Ciao
The Blue Jay of Happiness quotes author, consultant, and poet, David Whyte. “There’s a fierce practicality and empiricism which the whole imaginative, lyrical aspect of poetry comes from.”