If you could do it all over again...

Dad, is that you? Please say you don't mean it!

 

Good luck to your son, but you couldn't pay me to do that. AC break in the stress of summer. Air handlers are located in 140 degree attics and roof top units are in the sun working on frying hot shingles. Those guys earn their money, but it's good training for hell.

 

Same here. I had an extremely stressful job that was killing me, literally (my Dr. even recommended I change careers). I've been a linehaul driver for 3 years now and LOVE it. Stress is a killer, no doubt about it.

 

I wish the same thing. I am also paying the price for my past stupidities. But, I guess almost everyone can say this. Hindsight is 20/20.

 

Since Hindsight is 20/20, I would have either Retired in 1992 or bought my own truck in 1992, not sure which?

 

When a person is born they are almost a blank slate. They do have a personally and that is made up of a combination of DNA and life experiences. I do not believe in Random things. That is why I believe in a God. I believe that when he created the universe he had a plan. It isn't my plan, it isn't your plan. It is his plan and he knew what he was doing. Truthfully, would I change something. No. If I would then I would have to believe my ideas are better then his. And I don't believe in random.

I have told this story before but not in such a public forum. This is the How did you get to Africa story. Feel free to skip it.

I am one of the young ones in my class. Not only was I born on the last day to be eligible for my school year but I skipped a grade. That made me way smaller then those in my grade. As such, I was picked on. My having a high IQ and a razor wit also lead to my having sore shoulders and bruises. It seems the larger kids did not like to be showed how lacking in the mental department they were. I was never picked for sports even though I loved sports. For some reason, I failed to understand that I at 80 pounds did not belong on a football field. I had a arm like a cannon and throw a football 70 yards. I just could not see over the line. So I was second or third team. I wrestled but our town was a football town. One game we were getting beat badly. The coach turned around and ran over me. He ask me if I wanted to play. I said yes. So he said grab some guys and get in there. We played hard and score often. 3 touchdowns in the final quarter. We still lost as we were well behind. But I thought someone would come up to me and congratulate me. No, they said lets throw him in the locker. So, my "friends" threw me into the locker. Then one of them said, Let's pi ss on him. They did. 12 of my friends humiliated me. The next 4 years of high school were hell. My senior year I had grown a bit. Still only 110 but I also had studied martial arts since I was 5. I got into fights. I was 12 and 0. Can you guess the 12 who got in my way?

My father gave me the option of seeing the county juvenile officer or going to Africa as a Missionary. My second semester of my senior year was spent in Ghana, West Africa. Later, I decided to become a stock broker. I met a man from Nigeria. Because I was open to his being different, I got to know him. Through him, I met people. They offered me the job as Executive Director of 3 banks. I grew it from 3 to 189. We sold and I retired. Now, I am playing at being a truck company.

The point is when they were peeing on me, they were peeing solid gold. What I thought was the worst day of my life was in fact one of the best. We never know, we just have to trust that God knows.

Trucking is a wonderful way of life. You can make money but you have to look for inspiration. The path that most people take leads to the place most people end up. Doing things just a bit differently will lead to a different outcome. My advice, don't look back. Look ahead. What would you tell yourself today that you learned yesterday?

Oh, I will close this sermon with a poem by Robert Frost.

[TABLE="width: 601"]
[TR]
[TD][SIZE=+1]The Road Not Taken[/SIZE][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[TABLE="width: 601"]
[TR]
[TD][TABLE]
[TR]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]T[SIZE=-1]WO[/SIZE] roads diverged in a yellow wood,[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]And sorry I could not travel both[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]And be one traveler, long I stood[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]And looked down one as far as I could[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]To where it bent in the undergrowth;[/TD]
[TD][SIZE=-2] 5[/SIZE][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Then took the other, as just as fair,[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]And having perhaps the better claim,[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Because it was grassy and wanted wear;[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Though as for that the passing there[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Had worn them really about the same,[/TD]
[TD][SIZE=-2] 10[/SIZE][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]And both that morning equally lay[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]In leaves no step had trodden black.[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Oh, I kept the first for another day![/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Yet knowing how way leads on to way,[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]I doubted if I should ever come back.[/TD]
[TD][SIZE=-2] 15[/SIZE][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]I shall be telling this with a sigh[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Somewhere ages and ages hence:[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]I took the one less traveled by,[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]And that has made all the difference.[/TD]
[TD][SIZE=-2] 20[/SIZE][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

I drove for a few years then did get that office job and worked my way up to terminal manager over 17 years. I got let go back in 2008. I don't miss that job and the stress that goes with it for a minute. My point was that I wouldn't advise my son to get into trucking these days and I wish I had just learned a trade way back then other than trucking. I've worked in some facet of transportation for 26 years, including while I was going to college. At this point I doubt I'd be happy doing anything else but I just think younger guys should really think about it before they jump into this industry. It kind of grows on you like a fungus!

 

I'm 24 man and I see it differently. I can't believe more people my age aren't doing this. I was considering trucking for 2 years before I actually did it. What a waste of 2 years. I could be at my dream driving job right now. Instead, I have 2 years to work through before I can really start making the money. It is different than when you started I'm sure, but all you have to do is learn to play the game and I feel like I am learning and that I have a bright future with trucking being the foundation. Maybe its one of those "teach an old dog new tricks" things lol. But seriously, getting my CDL was the best move I ever made and I don't regret it one bit. I know it will pay off in the end.

 

WOW, what company were you with for 33 years??

 

Think I would've jumped on the ltl band wagon a lot sooner just to gain seniority. Ltl didn't pay all that well years ago though. I really couldn't afford ltl when I was in my 20's and 30's