The Pink Bike

So, a couple of years ago I bought a bike. It was great...bright red. Black handle bars. A couple of gear options. But as time went on and my handlebars got sticky, it was time for a change. But I love that bike! So the bike stays, but those handlebars had to go. When I got to Mackinac, what was the first thing I did when my parents left? Did I go on a "I'm away from my parents and can do whatever I want" rampage? Did I go drink with all the other people in my house that night? Did I go down to the beach and enjoy the sun and clear blue skies? No, no, no. I went down the the bike store and bought some new handle bars, and a cute little basket for my bike.
You're probably thinking to yourself, ok she's got a basket..some new handle bars...what more could a girl ask for when she's living by herself on an island? Well here's the thing. My handle bars are pink. My bike is red. And that simply does not work. So, long story short, this guy that works at the bike shop (who may or may not be my age and super cute) was talking to me about it and offered to paint my bike...for free...if I go to dinner with him (which may or may not have been a serious offer- I honestly don't know). Needless to say, I was hungry and I hate clashing colors. Fill in the rest yourselves.

So, in addition to all of this excitement, I started work today! I know you're probably all excited to hear about this, but at the moment there is not much to tell. I'm working reservations, so I'll spend the day in the back modifying and creating reservations for future guests. I'll save my witty comments about the nature of such calls, to preserve my professionalism. I'll admit, it's not the best job in the world. Certainly not my dream job. And the 8 hours a day (minimum) 7 days a week certainly leave a lot to be desired.

But do you want to know something?

This is why I LOVE working in hotels. Because at the end of the day, after being surrounded by people who are working jobs for the money, and who feel stuck on this island because they have no where else to go, no other job available, no family to go to, no school to save up for...after being surrounded by negative energy and feeling tired and wanting nothing more than to get up and come down to Starbucks to get my coffee and forget about my day, I still loved every second of it.

No, I don't have the greatest job in the hotel.
No, I don't even get to talk with guests and smile and welcome people in.
No, I don't get to see the sun, go outside, or bike like some other employees get to do.
I am stuck in the back of an office, talking on the phone for 8 hours.
Staring at a computer screen for 8 hours.
Sitting in a hard, wooden chair for 8 hours.
And yes, I still love it.

The way my heart beats when I get to walk from the cafeteria out into the lobby of this incredible hotel reminds me that no matter what job I'm working, how horrible or amazing it is, or how many hours a week I have to do that job, I will always remember something. I fell in love with this business while I was on my hands and knees scrubbing other people's toilets, making other people's beds, picking up and changing their towels. You can never imagine the things I saw, and the situations I dealt with. You will also never know the personal struggle I went through as a 16 year old pushing myself to keep moving, keep going, knowing that there was something better beyond that job.
If I had been given the opportunity at 16 to go sit in the back office of one of the most beautiful hotels in the world to answer phones and take reservations, I would have been out of there so fast my clothes would have ripped off in the wind. So while I'm struggling with this now, I will never let myself forget where I was a few years ago, how I felt the same thing I am feeling now, to some degree. But I still love what I do. I love hotels, this one in particular. And, when I am running a hotel like this in 25 years, I'll be glad to have this experience under my belt. Some day, I'm going to be the manager to a girl who is just like me now, and I want to be able to look at her and say, "I've been where you are. And if you keep going...just for 4 more months...something better will come. What you're doing now is important, even if it feels trivial to you, this hotel could not operate the way it does if it were not for people like you. So even though you feel down, you wish you were in a different department, wish you worked better hours, wish you had more days off, just remember that someday this will all pay off."


Someday this will all pay off.