My family had the wonderful opportunity to go on a mini winter getaway. Northern Virginia has not had any decent snow this year so it was especially fun to experience a wintery atmosphere. The first morning my husband and I stopped for some hot chocolate. We ordered at the counter and waited as the young woman who was both the cashier and barista, prepared our drinks. She seemed barely twenty and had darker skin tones and long, dark hair. She could have been Hispanic or Native American; either would have been likely in this western part of the country. She was neatly dressed and cordial, though not as jovial as other resort workers had been that morning.
She finished off our drinks with real whipped cream sprayed from the chilled silver canister and then carried the two steaming cardboard cups to where I was waiting. That’s when I noticed her left hand. She had a thumb but three of her fingers were missing and she had only a disfigured partial pinky finger. It appeared to be a birth defect. Yet she had just delivered two hot cocoas to me, one in each hand!
Many people use handicaps as an excuse not to work. If working is hard and a disability complicates matters, some will decide not to work at all. They rely on others and miss the satisfaction of accomplishment. A disability is an embarrassment too. In a culture where perfection is prized, it is difficult to be in a place where you will get noticed. Thoughtless comments may be overheard. Bravely, this cashier turned barista, took employment out in the public eye.
Sometimes, depending on the disability, employment can be hard to find. This is particularly true for those with cognitive impairment. It takes well-trained supervisors and special options to employ the developmentally challenged. Creating a business niche for them is a labor of love. Cameron’s Coffee and Chocolates in my town is just such a place. Coffee drinks and homemade confections are made and sold, giving work to special needs young adults.
Work is a gift. God gave mankind work in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:15). Of course work became cursed after Eden (Genesis 3: 17-19), but it continues to have value. Occupation offers a healthy use of time and a sense of fulfillment, and it provides financial support as well as the opportunity to give to others and help those in need. The Bible tells us to do work and to do it well (Colossians 3:23). I’m applauding the overcoming attitude of the young café worker. For her and all of us, “(Lord,) establish the work of our hands, yes, establish the work of our hands.” (Psalm 90:17)
*A good book on the subject of being artful on the job is A Million Little Ways by Emily Freeman
Thank you, Brenda for your thoughtful words.