As we were leaving the restaurant, I asked Maggi Rose how long she had worked there—1-1/2 years she said and 15 years as a waitress—long enough to know that her enthusiasm was not a beginner’s glow and was time-tested. To me, this kind of enthusiasm is not so much a feeling, but an attitude. There are going to be hard days and problems “in the restaurant”, but enthusiasm will stay with a person who believes in what they are doing and who they are working with. I got the idea that Maggi Rose is a person who would not work at a restaurant if she could not brag about the food being served.
Enthusiasm should be a lasting quality that is a part of long-term relationships and opportunities. My pastor (Jim Lynch, now retired) had a saying that rang true along this line: “If you want to stay married, stay enthused about your spouse”. All of us who have been married a long time know that this enthusiasm is more than just a feeling. It is an attitude that stays with the ups and downs of living; knowing that regardless of the circumstances, you married the right person, this is your best opportunity, your best path.
Staying enthused is a great way to live, both in personal life and in your vocation or business life. Enthusiasm is the oil that keeps all the machinery of life moving along. I want our readers to know that I am enthused about being in the manufacturing business and being in an independent family-owned business. I am enthused about the Walker Mower, a product that helps our customers make beautiful places. I am enthused about the multiplied opportunities that have come from supplying over 100,000 Walker Mowers to customers around the world. And I am still enthused about Barbara, my lovely wife of 44 years (we celebrated our anniversary on the trip to Hawaii).