Of all the perks that come with working in a well appointed office location having a well-appointed kitchen and tearoom ranks surprisingly high on my own personal list. My last one came with particularly pleasant views to enjoy as you ate, and became a social hub that created a relaxing atmosphere.
What’s really important in life
But, while I certainly appreciated those aspects, they were distant runners off to the best thing about that kitchen—the coffee machine. To say I am definitely not a morning person is an understatement for the ages and I see starting the day with a coffee as a necessity, not a luxury. Being able to make a decent coffee whenever I wanted sure saved a whole lot of money!
Every rose has its thorn
There was one downside that particular coffee machine, however. It used a separate jug to froth the milk, which required cleaning afterwards. Not a big problem in itself—it was small price to pay for the privilege of having a coffee machine. But it had a tendency to accumulate a layer of milk scum at the bottom and if it wasn’t cleaned properly straight away it became harder and harder to remove.
Now, I am aware that in the scheme of things this is a very minor problem, but it did get me thinking about how, in its insignificant way, it illustrated a greater truth. In the months that I enjoyed visiting the kitchen for my morning kickstart—probably going back more often than I should have for more if it was that kind of day—it seemed to me that I could observe two distinct kinds of people.
By their works shall ye know them
I didn’t actually directly encounter the first type all that often, but I constantly came across signs that they had been using the kitchen. Having to clean the coffee machine before I could use it became part of my routine, and a sink filled with dirty dishes was nothing out of the ordinary regardless of the increasingly terse emails and signage asking people to clean up after themselves.
Spotting the second type was much easier, in part because they were far less furtive and didn’t limit themselves to the times when no one else was likely to be around. But, they were also there for longer, too, rather than sneaking in and out as quickly as they could.
Not only would they clean up after themselves and make sure the next person wasn’t left scraping off burnt milk made concrete by time, it wasn’t uncommon to see them cleaning up the mess others had made. When the first type left it undone the mess didn’t just go away—it just meant someone else had to do it.
A percolation parable
There are so many things in life where it’s easy to take shortcuts or exert the absolute minimum effort required. It can be easy to justify because it doesn’t seem to hurt anybody or have any real consequences. The reality is, though, that it does—we just don’t have to deal with them.
For those of us sharing a tearoom, it might be little things such as not cleaning the coffee maker, or leaving dirty dishes in the sink. Elsewhere, it could be dumping rubbish instead of binning it, or not cleaning the public barbecue after we are finished. It might be not returning your trolley, or not helping to pack up after an event.
What all these have in common is that the work we choose not to do doesn’t just disappear or do itself, it just means someone else has to do it—and usually it’s the people who are trying to do the right thing.
A hot steaming cup of wisdom
I’ve been on both sides of the equation, so I am certainly not making any claims to righteousness. I know there are plenty of times where I have been lazy, where I couldn’t be bothered to do the work and left it for others. But I’ve also been the person who has done the sinkful of other people’s dishes or packed up a church hall while everyone else is doing the fun stuff.
That’s why, when I go to make a coffee each morning and find a stubborn layer of milk caked to the bottom of the jug, I let it be a reminder that there are consequences to our actions. Hopefully, it’s another way coffee improves my day—and my life!
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David Goodwin is the former Editor of The Salvation Army’s magazine,War Cry. He is also a cricket tragic, and an unapologetic geek.
David Goodwin archive of articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/david-goodwin.html
David Goodwin is the former Editor of The Salvation Army’s magazine,War Cry. He is also a cricket tragic, and an unapologetic geek.
David Goodwin archive of articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/david-goodwin.html