So Proud

As I walked to work, I had to wait on some light traffic to cross the street in front of the bike shop. The last two that I had to wait on were bicyclists. But then they turned into the bike shop parking lot beside me.

One of them pulled up close by and said, "Hi." I turned down Everclear on my iPod. It was one of my former students--one of the university's cross-country cyclists.

This student had, at one time, asked me if he should try to find a more "businesslike" job to advance his career in preparation for eventually entering the workforce. He said he was working in a bike shop and did not think that would be impressive on a resume.

I said that he could get a job as a bank teller and that would help little toward getting a higher job in a bank after he has a degree, but not much. I said that the fact that he holds a job for a long time and gets a solid recommendation will put him in good standing for going to another job.

He is still in school, still working in the bike shop, and loving it. No, he does not own the bike shop. But he made me quite proud while I spoke with him.

The bike shop opened about three weeks ago. I asked if that was a new job for him. He said, "No, we were across from Wal Mart and moved into this place that has a lot more room. Now we can use economies of scale."

I was so proud.